Every once in a while, I go to my great-grandmother's apartment that's about a 5 minute walk from my school. Usually, these trips are pretty uneventful, but sometimes, as some of you read when she turned into Captain Suppository, it can get very very interesting. This was one of those trips.
I walk in expecting to have to do anything I can to prevent the place from burning down, but thankfully, it was somewhat quiet when I walked in, which is definitely an irregularity in her case. I sat down, and did my homework, ready to leave at any minute. My mom called, telling me she was downstairs, and she wanted me to let her in to the building. I walked down, excited that I escaped all cruel and unusual punishment. What happened next was one of the worst experiences I've ever had at her apartment.
We go back up, and now she has all these chores for us to do (throw out her 3-month-old food, wipe down the floors, etc). Compared to some of the other chores I've done for her, this was nothing. I thought, hey, how long could it take. So I throw out the garbage, and start to get ready to leave. But now she wants me to do something that I never thought I'd have to do in my entire life. Plunge, her sink. Yes, you read correctly, I had to go get her plunger, for her toilet, and plunge all of the water out of her sink because the garbage disposal was broken so she couldn't drain the water any other way. By this point, I'm so angry that I start to just take pictures of the scenario, giving myself something to laugh about later.
So, I start to plunge, the kitchen smelling of food that decayed about 3 years prior. Apparently once you get old you forget what a trash can is. But anyway, there I am, plunging away at this toilet, delusional to the point where I'm laughing uncontrollably, and my mother is there standing, "supervising" this fiasco. When I get done, I say to her, "Let's go mom, we need to leave now!" But then my uncle Mo calls, and there goes another 13 minutes of my life, well spent I will admit. Talking to Mo is like talking to a 7 year old with a bunch of firecrackers. It's fun, but very dangerous. But while this is happening, my granny somehow figures out a way to clog the sink again, so I resume my position as official sink plunger. Finally, after 3 or 4 rounds of "Get The Water Down The Drain", we leave, drained of any energy left in our body.
Moral of the story is, never go to your Great-Grandmother's house. It never ends well.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Self Destruction Is Freedom...Right?
I've never liked the word 'melting'. It's always reminded me of irreversible damage. I don't know why, and don't ask me to explain. It won't make sense to you, it doesn't even totally make sense to me.
Let me just retreat from this deep and dark philosophical rant that I'm digging myself in to, and move on to something a little more lighthearted. I don't want to be the cause of teen suicide, that's the last thing I need on my record.
I haven't really had a topic to talk about recently, I've more been reporting things that have been happening in my life. But I think today is a good day for a topic, and that topic will be, ah yes, censorship. Censorship is the reason that organizations like the MPAA or, the Motion Picture Association of America, thrive. They feed on the belief that sheltering children for as long as they possibly can is the best idea for children, and will ultimately help them in the long run. I respectfully disagree with this theory. I was raised with very liberal parents who introduced me to things far before an appropriate age. Things like, my father letting me watch Good Will Hunting at age 8, or my mother making me read Lord of the Flies in the 5th grade. But, with that being said, they didn't only expose me to things that were beyond my reach, they also introduced me to types of art and music that would change me and really shape who I am as a person. Being able to read at age 3, and being able to name jazz artists at 5, I can proudly say that I was a well-rounded and cultured child, ready to try new things at any moment.
From birth, my mother took me to every art show at the Met, exposing me to the real world of art. Now, I love all types of art, music, and film due to my parents. Without them, I wouldn't be 1/2 as interesting or funny as I am now.
With that being said, it also frightens me, the amount of things that kids have access to. With the internet, things like murder videos and pornography are just a click away. Porn has even gone "mainstream" with actresses like Sasha Grey going straight, and films like Zack and Miri Make A Porno, The Amateurs, and The Girl Next Door, almost advocating the porn industry, with humorous results no question. Now, I'm all for teaching kids, and I'm completely against censorship, but where does the line get crossed. What's the limit? Every year, the rules get more and more lenient.
On a lighter note, happy official birthday to Piera Fries :) You're 14 and act like you're 4. Just kidding, have a happy birthday kiddo.
Also, Ross Marquand, star of A Lonely Place For Dying, messaged me on facebook thanking me for my praise of his film and encouragement. I replied saying that his performance in the film blew me away, comparing him to Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds, and telling him I hope to see him in more films soon. It was pretty cool.
This weekend, I'm seeing Philip Glass! Whoo!! For those who have NO idea who that is, youtube him, he's a genius composer from New York.
Today at school was Senior Citizen day during spirit week. I swear, these kids have the Miami Jew down perfectly. In Life Skills class today, our teacher played some perfect shuffleboarding music and I couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably. I saved us by playing some Hector Lavoe, and showing the kids some real music! :)
Let me just retreat from this deep and dark philosophical rant that I'm digging myself in to, and move on to something a little more lighthearted. I don't want to be the cause of teen suicide, that's the last thing I need on my record.
I haven't really had a topic to talk about recently, I've more been reporting things that have been happening in my life. But I think today is a good day for a topic, and that topic will be, ah yes, censorship. Censorship is the reason that organizations like the MPAA or, the Motion Picture Association of America, thrive. They feed on the belief that sheltering children for as long as they possibly can is the best idea for children, and will ultimately help them in the long run. I respectfully disagree with this theory. I was raised with very liberal parents who introduced me to things far before an appropriate age. Things like, my father letting me watch Good Will Hunting at age 8, or my mother making me read Lord of the Flies in the 5th grade. But, with that being said, they didn't only expose me to things that were beyond my reach, they also introduced me to types of art and music that would change me and really shape who I am as a person. Being able to read at age 3, and being able to name jazz artists at 5, I can proudly say that I was a well-rounded and cultured child, ready to try new things at any moment.
From birth, my mother took me to every art show at the Met, exposing me to the real world of art. Now, I love all types of art, music, and film due to my parents. Without them, I wouldn't be 1/2 as interesting or funny as I am now.
With that being said, it also frightens me, the amount of things that kids have access to. With the internet, things like murder videos and pornography are just a click away. Porn has even gone "mainstream" with actresses like Sasha Grey going straight, and films like Zack and Miri Make A Porno, The Amateurs, and The Girl Next Door, almost advocating the porn industry, with humorous results no question. Now, I'm all for teaching kids, and I'm completely against censorship, but where does the line get crossed. What's the limit? Every year, the rules get more and more lenient.
On a lighter note, happy official birthday to Piera Fries :) You're 14 and act like you're 4. Just kidding, have a happy birthday kiddo.
Also, Ross Marquand, star of A Lonely Place For Dying, messaged me on facebook thanking me for my praise of his film and encouragement. I replied saying that his performance in the film blew me away, comparing him to Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds, and telling him I hope to see him in more films soon. It was pretty cool.
This weekend, I'm seeing Philip Glass! Whoo!! For those who have NO idea who that is, youtube him, he's a genius composer from New York.
Today at school was Senior Citizen day during spirit week. I swear, these kids have the Miami Jew down perfectly. In Life Skills class today, our teacher played some perfect shuffleboarding music and I couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably. I saved us by playing some Hector Lavoe, and showing the kids some real music! :)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Piera's Partayy, Fabian's Partayy, aaaaanndd National Stuttering Day
This weekend was an especially busy one, but that good busy, not that sitting in your room studying all day busy. The kind of busy that makes you smile on Sunday night when you go to sleep.
Friday, was a relatively boring night for me, until before it ended. I was supposed to go to a soccer game and a Ra Ra Riot concert with Simon, but complications led to me just going home, spending a night watching Jackass and Nitro Circus on MTV until midnight. But that wasn't the exciting part. During most of my Jackass marathon, I got in touch with director Justin Eugene Evans, the man who made the Anaheim Film Festival hit, A Lonely Place For Dying. I had friended him a week previous, and that night, I wrote a status about him and his film, and how excellent I thought they were, as well as the two main actors in the film, Ross Marquand and Michael Scovotti. He saw the post, and we ended up getting into a "comment conversation". He then proceeded to write a status on his wall about me, quoting my blog, and posting a link for all to see. That pretty much made my night at that point, and I was almost happy I didn't go to the concert..just maybe.
Saturday, I spent my day driving around with Melissa, trying to get the rest of the components to Jia's, my sister, movie-quality costume. She was going as Jesse from Toy Story. We stopped in a consignment store, and I found a gift for Piera, the one I was looking for exactly. I'm not going to go into to much detail about Piera, in my attempt to have some neutrality, but let's just say she's special. No more detail hooligans! Be gone!
Anyway, we got done there, picked up a glue gun that we spent about an hour looking for, went home and got ready for my friend Fabian's party. Leaving the house a little later than expected, we got there, and Fabian and I made our way to Santan Village, a Gilbert mall near his house, leaving our parents to have fun. To protect Fabian, I will edit out some persons involved with him as to not anger anyone involved with him. Basically, we just hung out for a little bit, talked about our friends, school, family, and Fabian bought a new pair of shoes at the Vans store. The store clerk was hilarious, and him and I were going back and forth about a beanie that I wanted to get, him claiming that it was for a girl, me claiming that it wasn't for me. We left, laughing, and walked home. From there, we went to his house, watched a ridiculously intoxicated man urinate against a wall, and played XBox 360 in his living room. I went home, tired, but still satisfied from a fun night.
Sunday, I did a buttload of chores, rushing to get ready for Piera's party. I did 5 loads of laundry, cleaned my backyard and kitchen, and cleaned my room. Simon picked up, fresh out of a soccer game, and we went to his house so he could get ready. Let me attempt to visualize what Simon's house looks like. Imagine an Andy Warhol/Frank Lloyd Wright collaboration home. The size of a small hotel. Yeah, it's disgusting, in that beautiful way. Honestly, I would kill to live in a house like that, because it's simply put, mind-blowing. Anyway, back to the story. We went to Dave and Buster's at Tempe Marketplace, met up with Piera and some of our friends, and had fun. I met Piera's parents too. Her mother is extremely nice, and her father, while partially scary at times, is ultimately, just a nice and well-meaning man. I started to realize that our friends were putting a lot of stress and pressure on Piera, so I tried to make her feel better and play some games with her.
We went to Target, and I bought to DVD's, and Simon bought a book. When we got back to Dave and Buster's, Simon put the bag down and it got stolen. Good job Simon. Always thinking. We all sat down, ate some delicious nachos, and got back to more games. It was actually a really fun day, and I was glad I went. Also, on a side note, I was the only person who got her anything (ZING!) so I felt pretty special about that.
That's all for now, I'm ready for the week ahead, extremely exhausted though.
Also another side note, October 22nd was National Stuttering Awareness day. If you don't already know, I've struggled with a stutter for almost my whole life, and to anyone with a stutter who reads this, you're not the only one, no matter how much you think you are. Anyone and everyone should have an opportunity to do something great, no matter what holds them back.
Friday, was a relatively boring night for me, until before it ended. I was supposed to go to a soccer game and a Ra Ra Riot concert with Simon, but complications led to me just going home, spending a night watching Jackass and Nitro Circus on MTV until midnight. But that wasn't the exciting part. During most of my Jackass marathon, I got in touch with director Justin Eugene Evans, the man who made the Anaheim Film Festival hit, A Lonely Place For Dying. I had friended him a week previous, and that night, I wrote a status about him and his film, and how excellent I thought they were, as well as the two main actors in the film, Ross Marquand and Michael Scovotti. He saw the post, and we ended up getting into a "comment conversation". He then proceeded to write a status on his wall about me, quoting my blog, and posting a link for all to see. That pretty much made my night at that point, and I was almost happy I didn't go to the concert..just maybe.
Saturday, I spent my day driving around with Melissa, trying to get the rest of the components to Jia's, my sister, movie-quality costume. She was going as Jesse from Toy Story. We stopped in a consignment store, and I found a gift for Piera, the one I was looking for exactly. I'm not going to go into to much detail about Piera, in my attempt to have some neutrality, but let's just say she's special. No more detail hooligans! Be gone!
Anyway, we got done there, picked up a glue gun that we spent about an hour looking for, went home and got ready for my friend Fabian's party. Leaving the house a little later than expected, we got there, and Fabian and I made our way to Santan Village, a Gilbert mall near his house, leaving our parents to have fun. To protect Fabian, I will edit out some persons involved with him as to not anger anyone involved with him. Basically, we just hung out for a little bit, talked about our friends, school, family, and Fabian bought a new pair of shoes at the Vans store. The store clerk was hilarious, and him and I were going back and forth about a beanie that I wanted to get, him claiming that it was for a girl, me claiming that it wasn't for me. We left, laughing, and walked home. From there, we went to his house, watched a ridiculously intoxicated man urinate against a wall, and played XBox 360 in his living room. I went home, tired, but still satisfied from a fun night.
Sunday, I did a buttload of chores, rushing to get ready for Piera's party. I did 5 loads of laundry, cleaned my backyard and kitchen, and cleaned my room. Simon picked up, fresh out of a soccer game, and we went to his house so he could get ready. Let me attempt to visualize what Simon's house looks like. Imagine an Andy Warhol/Frank Lloyd Wright collaboration home. The size of a small hotel. Yeah, it's disgusting, in that beautiful way. Honestly, I would kill to live in a house like that, because it's simply put, mind-blowing. Anyway, back to the story. We went to Dave and Buster's at Tempe Marketplace, met up with Piera and some of our friends, and had fun. I met Piera's parents too. Her mother is extremely nice, and her father, while partially scary at times, is ultimately, just a nice and well-meaning man. I started to realize that our friends were putting a lot of stress and pressure on Piera, so I tried to make her feel better and play some games with her.
We went to Target, and I bought to DVD's, and Simon bought a book. When we got back to Dave and Buster's, Simon put the bag down and it got stolen. Good job Simon. Always thinking. We all sat down, ate some delicious nachos, and got back to more games. It was actually a really fun day, and I was glad I went. Also, on a side note, I was the only person who got her anything (ZING!) so I felt pretty special about that.
That's all for now, I'm ready for the week ahead, extremely exhausted though.
Also another side note, October 22nd was National Stuttering Awareness day. If you don't already know, I've struggled with a stutter for almost my whole life, and to anyone with a stutter who reads this, you're not the only one, no matter how much you think you are. Anyone and everyone should have an opportunity to do something great, no matter what holds them back.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Corndog!!!
I'm sitting in the library, ready to punch the guy behind me who won't stop pressing the GO button on the piano/keyboard, but hey, that's life. This week was definitely an interesting one for me, going to the doctor twice, staying home sick and having to do manual labor, and having to endure the endless amount of GO's and OH YEAH's at the teen floor of the library. Please, for the love of god, will someone break either the guys hands, or the keyboard, whichever is less expensive.
The Burton Barr library is full of characters that look like they jumped out of your favorite episode of Saved By The Bell: Goth 90's Edition. I understand expression of individuality, but this is just ridiculous. I mean, skinny jeans are one thing, hey, most teenagers wear them, I do. But painting your face black, wearing pants that have about 15 zippers, and claiming that people do things because the "voices" tell them too is something TOTALLY different. Nothing I can do about it, first amendment people.
Another thing you see a lot of, is the Mexican Bump-It Chicas, sometimes with their Vatos, or even their baby! Yes, it happens. A lot. I really hope no one from Burton Barr reads this, because if they do, there will definitely be a price on my head, that's for sure.
But there are a lot of great things about the library too. The musical instruments that they provide us with, the endless amount of CD's, books, and movies, the great programs, and the more than welcoming staff and security (CJ!!!). It's what makes this home for a lot of us, and a safe haven for kids who have to go home to parents who beat them, or babies to feed, siblings to watch, parents to care for, and every other thing that modern childhood comes with. With a whole floor dedicated to adolescence, the 4th floor is the most fun that anyone can have in Phoenix. The things you hear, the people you see, you won't get anywhere else. It's a place where we can all come together and just have fun. Not have to worry about tomorrow, or even tonight. A place to do homework, or just mess around with friends, even make new friends. The day that we lose the Teen Central, is the day that the kids who come lose an opportunity. An opportunity to connect, live, laugh, and have fun.
So, I guess I can take back my earlier comment about me not hoping that people from the library read this. I hope that everyone from the library gets to at least skim this, no matter how much it offends them, they all know it's true.
The Burton Barr library is full of characters that look like they jumped out of your favorite episode of Saved By The Bell: Goth 90's Edition. I understand expression of individuality, but this is just ridiculous. I mean, skinny jeans are one thing, hey, most teenagers wear them, I do. But painting your face black, wearing pants that have about 15 zippers, and claiming that people do things because the "voices" tell them too is something TOTALLY different. Nothing I can do about it, first amendment people.
Another thing you see a lot of, is the Mexican Bump-It Chicas, sometimes with their Vatos, or even their baby! Yes, it happens. A lot. I really hope no one from Burton Barr reads this, because if they do, there will definitely be a price on my head, that's for sure.
But there are a lot of great things about the library too. The musical instruments that they provide us with, the endless amount of CD's, books, and movies, the great programs, and the more than welcoming staff and security (CJ!!!). It's what makes this home for a lot of us, and a safe haven for kids who have to go home to parents who beat them, or babies to feed, siblings to watch, parents to care for, and every other thing that modern childhood comes with. With a whole floor dedicated to adolescence, the 4th floor is the most fun that anyone can have in Phoenix. The things you hear, the people you see, you won't get anywhere else. It's a place where we can all come together and just have fun. Not have to worry about tomorrow, or even tonight. A place to do homework, or just mess around with friends, even make new friends. The day that we lose the Teen Central, is the day that the kids who come lose an opportunity. An opportunity to connect, live, laugh, and have fun.
So, I guess I can take back my earlier comment about me not hoping that people from the library read this. I hope that everyone from the library gets to at least skim this, no matter how much it offends them, they all know it's true.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Back To Phoenix I Go :)
Well I'm back in the great state of Phoenix, Arizona (yes I know what I just said). Part of me is happy, part of me wanted to stay, and part of me just wants to sleep right now because I'm sick again..of course. My luck.
My first night in Long Beach (Friday), I was ready to go to the festival, but a sharp pain in my stomach restricted me from doing so. As it subsided, my family and I went home, blasted Salsa music, and cooked pasta. I attempted to dance, but to no avail. After that whole ordeal, I stayed home in bed, well, on the couch, and went to sleep, writhing around trying to find a comfortable position where I wouldn't be hurting.
Saturday, bright and early, and 76% Pain-Free, I was ready to go to the festival. My first film, American Bully started at 1 PM.
American Bully is a film about four teenagers, who, after 9/11, believe everyone brown to be a terrorist. One of them sends a video of a terrorist being beheaded to an Indian student. The student gets our main character suspended, so him and his friends skip school for a day, get drunk, stoned, and hang out in an abandoned house bashing all people that aren't white. As they're driving home, they see the boy walking home from work, jump and kidnap him, and bring him back to the abandoned house where they stayed. There, they tie him up, and tell him that they're going to kill him. Events spiral out of control, and things go from bad to worse.
American Bully is an exercise in bad writing, bad acting, and bad directing all in one. I didn't really see the appeal of this film, but I did see the message. 9/11 has affected the youth all over the nation, and made them fear all Muslims, Indians, Arabs, etc.
But the quality of the film really disappointed me. I felt like with a little shape-up, it could've been a LOT better. Overall, I give American Bully a D+.
After the American Bully screening, they had a Q&A with the director, but I didn't really want to stay.
The 2nd film I saw that day was the fantastic, A Lonely Place For Dying, a $200,000 action film that has hints of Quentin Tarantino, Guy Richie, and Clint Eastwood in it. Expertly directed by newcomer Justin Eugene Evans (whom I met after the film, he ended up being the guy next to me), A Lonely Place For Dying restored my faith in the low budget action film. Ross Marquand and Michael Scovotti, playing Nikolai and Robert respectively were both flawless, and their chemistry on-screen was great (it had to be, they were the movie). But it was really Marquand that stood out to me, reminding me of Christoph Waltz's genius performance in Inglourious Basterds. Overall, I really hope this film gets a wide release. I give it an A-.
Afterwards there was a Q&A with the director. There were some great questions asked about the film process, and afterwards I went up to him, shook his hand and said, "That. Was a great film." He seemed really touched, thanked me, and I left.
As soon as I walked out, there was a BMX show happening, with these guys named Team Soil. They were awesome. I love BMX and this didn't disappoint. Even Mat Hoffman was there, and I went up to him and said hello.
When I was done with that, I went out to dinner at Outback Steakhouse with my dad, Mel, Jia, and Max. Soon after, I returned to the festival and saw a collection of horror short films. They were all very good, except for the first, Alice Jacobs Is Dead, which fell flat for me. There was an excellent Spanish short called The Twin Girls of Sunset Street, and a great Mexican film called Culebra. Also, a small film called Off Season, a 13-Minute film that scared the living hell out of me.
I left at 11:30, went home, and fell asleep almost immediately.
Sunday, I didn't do much, except get a haircut, and see Jackass 3D!!
Jackass 3D is the reason that America is the greatest country on the planet. Where else can you see men defacing their testicles for 86 minutes...in 3D?! Jackass 3D definitely met my expectations. I give it a B+.
Monday, seriously all I did was see Life As We Know It.
Life As We Know It is a super cute, very funny, romantic comedy that's sure to please anyone who's looking for a little fun. This one actually exceeded my very low expectations. I give it a B.
I flew back to Phoenix at around 5:30, on Southwest Airlines with a flight attendant who cracked us up the entire way. I arrived home at 6:45 sick again. Why me?!
My first night in Long Beach (Friday), I was ready to go to the festival, but a sharp pain in my stomach restricted me from doing so. As it subsided, my family and I went home, blasted Salsa music, and cooked pasta. I attempted to dance, but to no avail. After that whole ordeal, I stayed home in bed, well, on the couch, and went to sleep, writhing around trying to find a comfortable position where I wouldn't be hurting.
Saturday, bright and early, and 76% Pain-Free, I was ready to go to the festival. My first film, American Bully started at 1 PM.
American Bully is a film about four teenagers, who, after 9/11, believe everyone brown to be a terrorist. One of them sends a video of a terrorist being beheaded to an Indian student. The student gets our main character suspended, so him and his friends skip school for a day, get drunk, stoned, and hang out in an abandoned house bashing all people that aren't white. As they're driving home, they see the boy walking home from work, jump and kidnap him, and bring him back to the abandoned house where they stayed. There, they tie him up, and tell him that they're going to kill him. Events spiral out of control, and things go from bad to worse.
American Bully is an exercise in bad writing, bad acting, and bad directing all in one. I didn't really see the appeal of this film, but I did see the message. 9/11 has affected the youth all over the nation, and made them fear all Muslims, Indians, Arabs, etc.
But the quality of the film really disappointed me. I felt like with a little shape-up, it could've been a LOT better. Overall, I give American Bully a D+.
After the American Bully screening, they had a Q&A with the director, but I didn't really want to stay.
The 2nd film I saw that day was the fantastic, A Lonely Place For Dying, a $200,000 action film that has hints of Quentin Tarantino, Guy Richie, and Clint Eastwood in it. Expertly directed by newcomer Justin Eugene Evans (whom I met after the film, he ended up being the guy next to me), A Lonely Place For Dying restored my faith in the low budget action film. Ross Marquand and Michael Scovotti, playing Nikolai and Robert respectively were both flawless, and their chemistry on-screen was great (it had to be, they were the movie). But it was really Marquand that stood out to me, reminding me of Christoph Waltz's genius performance in Inglourious Basterds. Overall, I really hope this film gets a wide release. I give it an A-.
Afterwards there was a Q&A with the director. There were some great questions asked about the film process, and afterwards I went up to him, shook his hand and said, "That. Was a great film." He seemed really touched, thanked me, and I left.
As soon as I walked out, there was a BMX show happening, with these guys named Team Soil. They were awesome. I love BMX and this didn't disappoint. Even Mat Hoffman was there, and I went up to him and said hello.
When I was done with that, I went out to dinner at Outback Steakhouse with my dad, Mel, Jia, and Max. Soon after, I returned to the festival and saw a collection of horror short films. They were all very good, except for the first, Alice Jacobs Is Dead, which fell flat for me. There was an excellent Spanish short called The Twin Girls of Sunset Street, and a great Mexican film called Culebra. Also, a small film called Off Season, a 13-Minute film that scared the living hell out of me.
I left at 11:30, went home, and fell asleep almost immediately.
Sunday, I didn't do much, except get a haircut, and see Jackass 3D!!
Jackass 3D is the reason that America is the greatest country on the planet. Where else can you see men defacing their testicles for 86 minutes...in 3D?! Jackass 3D definitely met my expectations. I give it a B+.
Monday, seriously all I did was see Life As We Know It.
Life As We Know It is a super cute, very funny, romantic comedy that's sure to please anyone who's looking for a little fun. This one actually exceeded my very low expectations. I give it a B.
I flew back to Phoenix at around 5:30, on Southwest Airlines with a flight attendant who cracked us up the entire way. I arrived home at 6:45 sick again. Why me?!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Retreat and Ned Vizzini Interview! I Barely Have Time To Breathe!
Today is a very exciting day for me, for a few reasons.
One, today was an ASA tradition called Retreat. It's kind of like a way to get to know the rest of the student body. We had a scavenger hunt in excruciatingly hot weather, but it was very fun to see some of things we did (Buckets on heads, clothing naked baby dolls, walking across a minefield of plastic knick-knacks, etc). It was also very fun because I got to hang out with my 5th and 11th grade buddies, Merrick and Danny, respectively, and basically just get to know them.
Our "chaperone" was my super-cool piano teacher Ms. Waleczek. The other people in my group included: Lexi Faust, Michael Gloria, Sarah Corbett, Adam Brown, my buddies, and some other people who's names are escaping me at the moment (my apologies). Basically all day, we ran around the campus, looking for clues given to us by seniors, after a somewhat embarassing, next to impossible, and totally useless task. The whole point of the exercises was team building.
My two buddies, are really cool and nice guys, and I can see why we were paired together. I look forward to hanging out with them for the rest of the year, and hope that they do too.
After we got back from our hunt, we all hung out in the piano lab and did arts and crafts with duct tape, which, don't knock it till you try it, it's quite fun. Ms. Walezeck, who is into awesome bands like Arcade Fire and Primus, let me DJ the afternoon, with bands and music that we all actually like! Go figure!
By the end of the day, I was seriously ready to fall asleep, but it was a lot of fun, and hope that we can do it every quarter. Retreat is just another reason why ASA is such a breath of fresh air compared to other schools.
After arriving home from said Retreat, I checked my emails to find, that Ned Vizzini had answered all my interview questions! I was ecstatic, and more than ready to publish it for you fine people, so, without further ado, I present to you, my interview with Mr. Ned Vizzini, author of It's Kind Of A Funny Story, Be More Chill, and Teenage Angst? Nah....
Joey-Well, I'm also a New York native and loved all the city references. Was there anywhere else that you considered setting "It's Kind Of A Funny Story?"
Ned-I set It's Kind Of A Funny Story in New York because that's what I knew the details of. I have tried setting stories in different cities and I find that Brooklyn/New York is most comfortable for me.
Joey-While reading IKOAFS, I noticed all the relevant references about things that kids really liked! How did you become so cool?
Ned-I don't think I have ever been cool. I just try to notice things so that I can write them later. When it comes to cultural references I try and stick with the tried-and-true, like Led Zeppelin, instead of the up-to-the-minute.
Joey-Noelle is a character that I think most people can relate to; how did you go about making her so real? Was she real?
Ned-Noelle in It's Kind Of A Funny Story was not real; I made her up. I based her on the kind of person I wanted to meet in High School--and then gave her scars.
Joey-Did you always want to write, or did it just start to happen one day?
Ned-I knew that I wanted to write starting in second grade when one of my teachers gave me a blank hardcover book as part of a "Writer's Workshop" class and told me I could fill it with whatever I wanted. I was astounded; I figured blank books were very expensive and hard to find. From that point I was hooked.
Joey-I realized that you put a lot of real life situations in your books, has any of your family ever called you angry that you "revealed" something about them?
Ned-When I was writing in high school, my mother told me "I don't read any of that filth that you write." Since then, my parents have gotten more comfortable since I fictionalize things.
Joey-What are some of your favorite movies, books and bands? Have any of them influenced some of your writing?
Ned-Some of my favorite movies are Austin Powers In Goldmember and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Some of my favorite books are Permanent Midnight and Jurassic Park. Some of my favorite bands are Nirvana and Drunk Horse. Drunk Horse's influenced my work in that their song "AM/PM Shoes" helped inspire my novel "Be More Chill."
Joey-Did you know that you would become successful after the original publishing of "Teenage Angst? Nah!"?
Ned-I never knew at any point in my career that I would be successful. I still don't. Success is fleeting and success at one point in your life does not last your whole life.
Joey-When you were approached about making "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" into a film, were you nervous that it wouldn't be faithful, or excited to see your novel on the big screen?
Ned-I was excited to see It's Kind Of A Funny Story turned into a film because I trusted the directors, who were very familiar with the book.
Joey-How do you deal with criticism, whether it be rude or constructive?
Ned-I find that humor is the best way to deal with criticism.
Joey-What's your favorite book that you've written? Or do you love them all for different reasons?
Ned-My favorite book that I've written is It's Kind Of A Funny Story. In addition to coming out of a singular time in my life, it let me share observations about the world that I never thought I'd have the chance to.
Joey-Did any figures from your childhood like teachers or friends ever inspire a character in one of your novels?
Ned-Many real people from my childhood inspired characters in my novels--friends more than teachers. Many real friends were combined and changed for fictional purposes.
Joey-If you weren't a writer, what would you be?
Ned-If I weren't a writer, I would be a computer programmer.
Joey-Final question, did you enjoy the adaptation of "It's Kind of a Funny Story?"
Ned-I loved the film adaptation of It's Kind Of A Funny Story.
I have a review of it here:
http://apps.facebook.com/flixster/review?lsrc=MD-MyRating-Comment&r=904341204_770855394
And I wrote about the experience of seeing it premiere in Toronto here:
http://bit.ly/aZVoz6
There you have it, my interview with Ned Vizzini, enjoy
One, today was an ASA tradition called Retreat. It's kind of like a way to get to know the rest of the student body. We had a scavenger hunt in excruciatingly hot weather, but it was very fun to see some of things we did (Buckets on heads, clothing naked baby dolls, walking across a minefield of plastic knick-knacks, etc). It was also very fun because I got to hang out with my 5th and 11th grade buddies, Merrick and Danny, respectively, and basically just get to know them.
Our "chaperone" was my super-cool piano teacher Ms. Waleczek. The other people in my group included: Lexi Faust, Michael Gloria, Sarah Corbett, Adam Brown, my buddies, and some other people who's names are escaping me at the moment (my apologies). Basically all day, we ran around the campus, looking for clues given to us by seniors, after a somewhat embarassing, next to impossible, and totally useless task. The whole point of the exercises was team building.
My two buddies, are really cool and nice guys, and I can see why we were paired together. I look forward to hanging out with them for the rest of the year, and hope that they do too.
After we got back from our hunt, we all hung out in the piano lab and did arts and crafts with duct tape, which, don't knock it till you try it, it's quite fun. Ms. Walezeck, who is into awesome bands like Arcade Fire and Primus, let me DJ the afternoon, with bands and music that we all actually like! Go figure!
By the end of the day, I was seriously ready to fall asleep, but it was a lot of fun, and hope that we can do it every quarter. Retreat is just another reason why ASA is such a breath of fresh air compared to other schools.
After arriving home from said Retreat, I checked my emails to find, that Ned Vizzini had answered all my interview questions! I was ecstatic, and more than ready to publish it for you fine people, so, without further ado, I present to you, my interview with Mr. Ned Vizzini, author of It's Kind Of A Funny Story, Be More Chill, and Teenage Angst? Nah....
Joey-Well, I'm also a New York native and loved all the city references. Was there anywhere else that you considered setting "It's Kind Of A Funny Story?"
Ned-I set It's Kind Of A Funny Story in New York because that's what I knew the details of. I have tried setting stories in different cities and I find that Brooklyn/New York is most comfortable for me.
Joey-While reading IKOAFS, I noticed all the relevant references about things that kids really liked! How did you become so cool?
Ned-I don't think I have ever been cool. I just try to notice things so that I can write them later. When it comes to cultural references I try and stick with the tried-and-true, like Led Zeppelin, instead of the up-to-the-minute.
Joey-Noelle is a character that I think most people can relate to; how did you go about making her so real? Was she real?
Ned-Noelle in It's Kind Of A Funny Story was not real; I made her up. I based her on the kind of person I wanted to meet in High School--and then gave her scars.
Joey-Did you always want to write, or did it just start to happen one day?
Ned-I knew that I wanted to write starting in second grade when one of my teachers gave me a blank hardcover book as part of a "Writer's Workshop" class and told me I could fill it with whatever I wanted. I was astounded; I figured blank books were very expensive and hard to find. From that point I was hooked.
Joey-I realized that you put a lot of real life situations in your books, has any of your family ever called you angry that you "revealed" something about them?
Ned-When I was writing in high school, my mother told me "I don't read any of that filth that you write." Since then, my parents have gotten more comfortable since I fictionalize things.
Joey-What are some of your favorite movies, books and bands? Have any of them influenced some of your writing?
Ned-Some of my favorite movies are Austin Powers In Goldmember and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Some of my favorite books are Permanent Midnight and Jurassic Park. Some of my favorite bands are Nirvana and Drunk Horse. Drunk Horse's influenced my work in that their song "AM/PM Shoes" helped inspire my novel "Be More Chill."
Joey-Did you know that you would become successful after the original publishing of "Teenage Angst? Nah!"?
Ned-I never knew at any point in my career that I would be successful. I still don't. Success is fleeting and success at one point in your life does not last your whole life.
Joey-When you were approached about making "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" into a film, were you nervous that it wouldn't be faithful, or excited to see your novel on the big screen?
Ned-I was excited to see It's Kind Of A Funny Story turned into a film because I trusted the directors, who were very familiar with the book.
Joey-How do you deal with criticism, whether it be rude or constructive?
Ned-I find that humor is the best way to deal with criticism.
Joey-What's your favorite book that you've written? Or do you love them all for different reasons?
Ned-My favorite book that I've written is It's Kind Of A Funny Story. In addition to coming out of a singular time in my life, it let me share observations about the world that I never thought I'd have the chance to.
Joey-Did any figures from your childhood like teachers or friends ever inspire a character in one of your novels?
Ned-Many real people from my childhood inspired characters in my novels--friends more than teachers. Many real friends were combined and changed for fictional purposes.
Joey-If you weren't a writer, what would you be?
Ned-If I weren't a writer, I would be a computer programmer.
Joey-Final question, did you enjoy the adaptation of "It's Kind of a Funny Story?"
Ned-I loved the film adaptation of It's Kind Of A Funny Story.
I have a review of it here:
http://apps.facebook.com/flixster/review?lsrc=MD-MyRating-Comment&r=904341204_770855394
And I wrote about the experience of seeing it premiere in Toronto here:
http://bit.ly/aZVoz6
There you have it, my interview with Ned Vizzini, enjoy
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
To The Anaheim Film Festival!!
After staying home yesterday and doing absolutely nothing but Facebook and watch movies, I returned to school, with friends awaiting, a subtle reminder, that maybe I'm not as hated as I think I am. Anyway, I get back to school, and Simon and I bust out to Crack A Bottle at lunch (Thanks Aya).
But on to the stuff that you really care about. My film reviews!
I watched a Werner Herzog film called My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done starring my favorite actor Michael Shannon and produced by one of my favorite filmmakers David Lynch. Also starring pioneers Willem Dafoe, and Chloe Sevigny, this film was sure to be a hit. Alas, it was, in my eyes at least. After seeing Herzog's "reboot" of Bad Lieutenant last year, I gained the utmost respect for the man.
Anyway, the film is about a man who, after returning from a rafting trip in the jungle, and reenacting a tragic greek play, is led to slay his mother with a sword.
The film is very well acted and well directed, but the writing is less than exemplary. For some reason, the score was very distracting as well, but overall I liked the film very much, and the way it was done. Many people said it was boring and pointless, but of course, I beg to differ. I give it a B+
I watched another film called The Runaways, about the first all-girl punk band, The Runaways, led by Cherrie Curie and Joan Jett, the Runaways was a revolutionary band during the 1970's and even now.
Once again a film starring Michael Shannon, and by god, if he wasn't the reason I liked this movie. His portrayal as Kim Fowley was nothing short of genius. As for Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, this is definitely a step-up from their Twilight/Sixth Sense roots, and I really respected them as actors this time.
My criticism is that, a lot is left untold and unknown, like how they acquired other members of the band, etc. Also, sometimes I feel like the film runs a little slow at times, and doesn't tell necessary parts of the story.
Overall, I give the Runaways a B-.
But now to the important part, THE ANAHEIM FILM FESTIVAL!!
I'm going to the Anaheim International Film Festival (AIFF) this weekend in Anaheim, CA, with a VIP pass courtesy of my very own father Mr. Henry Rodriguez. A collection of independent films, rising stars, directors, and aspiring filmmakers.
I'm very excited and prepared to take millions of pictures for the enjoyment of you faithful readers.
Not much else happening as of now. Hope to be posting some cool stuff soon involving writer Ned Vizzini, author of It's Kind Of A Funny Story, with whom I've been talking to about making a little visit to Phoenix, and doing a speaking engagement at Burton Barr Library and having an interview.
Cheers For Now :)
But on to the stuff that you really care about. My film reviews!
I watched a Werner Herzog film called My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done starring my favorite actor Michael Shannon and produced by one of my favorite filmmakers David Lynch. Also starring pioneers Willem Dafoe, and Chloe Sevigny, this film was sure to be a hit. Alas, it was, in my eyes at least. After seeing Herzog's "reboot" of Bad Lieutenant last year, I gained the utmost respect for the man.
Anyway, the film is about a man who, after returning from a rafting trip in the jungle, and reenacting a tragic greek play, is led to slay his mother with a sword.
The film is very well acted and well directed, but the writing is less than exemplary. For some reason, the score was very distracting as well, but overall I liked the film very much, and the way it was done. Many people said it was boring and pointless, but of course, I beg to differ. I give it a B+
I watched another film called The Runaways, about the first all-girl punk band, The Runaways, led by Cherrie Curie and Joan Jett, the Runaways was a revolutionary band during the 1970's and even now.
Once again a film starring Michael Shannon, and by god, if he wasn't the reason I liked this movie. His portrayal as Kim Fowley was nothing short of genius. As for Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, this is definitely a step-up from their Twilight/Sixth Sense roots, and I really respected them as actors this time.
My criticism is that, a lot is left untold and unknown, like how they acquired other members of the band, etc. Also, sometimes I feel like the film runs a little slow at times, and doesn't tell necessary parts of the story.
Overall, I give the Runaways a B-.
But now to the important part, THE ANAHEIM FILM FESTIVAL!!
I'm going to the Anaheim International Film Festival (AIFF) this weekend in Anaheim, CA, with a VIP pass courtesy of my very own father Mr. Henry Rodriguez. A collection of independent films, rising stars, directors, and aspiring filmmakers.
I'm very excited and prepared to take millions of pictures for the enjoyment of you faithful readers.
Not much else happening as of now. Hope to be posting some cool stuff soon involving writer Ned Vizzini, author of It's Kind Of A Funny Story, with whom I've been talking to about making a little visit to Phoenix, and doing a speaking engagement at Burton Barr Library and having an interview.
Cheers For Now :)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Oh The Joys Of Sickness...
This weekend was an especially entertaining one to say the least. I finally was able to make a trip down to the town of Patagonia, to see my favorite set of grandparents; Jim and Marilyn Coleman (sorry other grandparents, you just didn't make the cut...kidding). Anyway, let me give you a little visual of Patagonia. Imagine if David Lynch adapted a Louis L'Amour book, then you're kind of starting to get the picture. It just so happened that this weekend was the Fall Festival, and the town was full of tourists. We arrived with an old lady with a filled bladder, and 5 bags, 3 of which were virtually useless. After everything was settled, we said our 'Hellos', and got the party started, so to speak.
One of my favorite people in the world, Ms. Yanaba Paladin Coomer, my unofficial great aunt, was there as well. Her and I walked around the festival for about an hour, talking about all types of stuff. After paying 5 dollars for a terrible piece of pizza, $1.50 on a set of books about Henry James, and about a mile of walking in my shoes, we decided to head home and start dinner.
Now, let me remind you, Jim and Marilyn are some of the O.G's of the Southwest lifestyle, so their food wasn't exactly, "vegetarian friendly" to say the least. But hey, they worked around the limitation and made me some pretty freakin' good ravioli and potatoes. While they feasted on shrimp, we all listened to some French rock music, and talked. Not recently have I truly enjoyed the simplicity of life like I did that night.
At about 11:45, after watching Without A Paddle on Spike TV, I called it quits, and headed to the back room where we slept. A snoring and suppository seeking Grandmother awaited me. All throughout the night, she did the bathroom shuffle going back and forth trying to emit non-existent feces, and demanding me of supositorios, which once again, were non-existent at the time. To top it off, I'm very sick, and coughing and aching in my very unstable rock-hard cot. Fast forward to 3:30 AM, I snuck into the bed where Tom, my stepdad was supposed to be sleeping, but hey, I'm the sick one. He stumbles in, drunk as can be announcing, "Ok! I'm here!" He wakes up all 3 people occupying the room (Me, my mother, and Captain Suppository). We tell him to shut up and go to sleep, but for about 10 minutes, he fiddles with the lights, talks about nothing in particular, and falls onto the cot.
Fast forward again to 5 AM. It's a snoring contest, I can't fall back asleep.
Finally, the sun comes to my rescue and wakes up the heathens in the room. But alas, I must rise with the almost dead. I crawl into the main house and eat a delicious cinnamon roll, against my stomach's better judgment.
A couple hours later, it's time to say my goodbyes, and regretfully drive back to Phoenix. I always love going to Patagonia, no matter how..scary it may be.
One of my favorite people in the world, Ms. Yanaba Paladin Coomer, my unofficial great aunt, was there as well. Her and I walked around the festival for about an hour, talking about all types of stuff. After paying 5 dollars for a terrible piece of pizza, $1.50 on a set of books about Henry James, and about a mile of walking in my shoes, we decided to head home and start dinner.
Now, let me remind you, Jim and Marilyn are some of the O.G's of the Southwest lifestyle, so their food wasn't exactly, "vegetarian friendly" to say the least. But hey, they worked around the limitation and made me some pretty freakin' good ravioli and potatoes. While they feasted on shrimp, we all listened to some French rock music, and talked. Not recently have I truly enjoyed the simplicity of life like I did that night.
At about 11:45, after watching Without A Paddle on Spike TV, I called it quits, and headed to the back room where we slept. A snoring and suppository seeking Grandmother awaited me. All throughout the night, she did the bathroom shuffle going back and forth trying to emit non-existent feces, and demanding me of supositorios, which once again, were non-existent at the time. To top it off, I'm very sick, and coughing and aching in my very unstable rock-hard cot. Fast forward to 3:30 AM, I snuck into the bed where Tom, my stepdad was supposed to be sleeping, but hey, I'm the sick one. He stumbles in, drunk as can be announcing, "Ok! I'm here!" He wakes up all 3 people occupying the room (Me, my mother, and Captain Suppository). We tell him to shut up and go to sleep, but for about 10 minutes, he fiddles with the lights, talks about nothing in particular, and falls onto the cot.
Fast forward again to 5 AM. It's a snoring contest, I can't fall back asleep.
Finally, the sun comes to my rescue and wakes up the heathens in the room. But alas, I must rise with the almost dead. I crawl into the main house and eat a delicious cinnamon roll, against my stomach's better judgment.
A couple hours later, it's time to say my goodbyes, and regretfully drive back to Phoenix. I always love going to Patagonia, no matter how..scary it may be.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Blogging Is For Whiners
It's been a while since I've been on blogger.com (since July 7, 2009 to be exact), and my good friend Simon (pronounced Simone) Gutkin convinced me to start up my blogging habits again. I had originally been thinking about starting a monthly column, but a blog just sounds..better.
Anyway, basically, I'm just gonna talk about (and occasionally rant) some stuff that's going on in life, and then try to tie it into some kind of topic, so as not to bore the readers (if I get any). So, if you're offended by anything that I say, stop reading because it'll probably only get worse.
I'm also a film fanatic, so I'm gonna be doing to some reviews on here whenever I see a new film.
But, to all the people who can withstand me, thanks for reading, and I hope to hear some feedback from anyone brave enough to give me some.
So, without further ado, I will present to you (drum roll)...
Joey's Raucous, Rude, and Really Funny Blog About Nothing in particular!! I'll try to post something meaningful soon, but until then, cheers :)
Anyway, basically, I'm just gonna talk about (and occasionally rant) some stuff that's going on in life, and then try to tie it into some kind of topic, so as not to bore the readers (if I get any). So, if you're offended by anything that I say, stop reading because it'll probably only get worse.
I'm also a film fanatic, so I'm gonna be doing to some reviews on here whenever I see a new film.
But, to all the people who can withstand me, thanks for reading, and I hope to hear some feedback from anyone brave enough to give me some.
So, without further ado, I will present to you (drum roll)...
Joey's Raucous, Rude, and Really Funny Blog About Nothing in particular!! I'll try to post something meaningful soon, but until then, cheers :)
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