I'm taking it way too easy right now. Ever since I accepted that job offer, it's like nothing matters anymore. I'm set. There's no reason to do additional work. Everything on my plate amounts to a vanity project. I can just as easily ignore everything and sleep away the days. It's gonna be a sad goodbye.
I spent all of today on Destiny, but it's really a final parting session. I won't be able to play as much anymore, and I've just about wrapped up all my goals in the game. It only took me a couple hundred hours, but I've accomplished what I needed to. It's time to realign my budgets, set financial goals, get the ball rolling on some longstanding planned purchases, and hell, maybe get a girlfriend. Who knows. Tomorrow will be the last weekend of freedom.
On the bright side, the Saints vaulted back to the top of the abysmal NFC South. We back in the race, boys. Yeah!
/eventlog
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Event Log: 10/29/14 - Project Intialized
I'm supposed to be writing a horror story right now but it's tough to get the ball rolling. Considering Halloween is just around the corner, I really gotta focus. I was able to make some progress but it's far from finished. I whittled away the time by watching Ninja's Destiny stream.
My friend unexpectedly invited me out for coffee at a new Starbucks that recently opened. It was a chance for me to share the good news. Now that we're all gainfully employed, the possibilities are unfolding before our very eyes. The future looks very exciting right now.
/eventlog
My friend unexpectedly invited me out for coffee at a new Starbucks that recently opened. It was a chance for me to share the good news. Now that we're all gainfully employed, the possibilities are unfolding before our very eyes. The future looks very exciting right now.
/eventlog
Event Log: 10/28/14 - Destiny Tuesdays
I started the day off with Tenebre, another of Dario Argento's giallo classics from the 80's. I can't believe Argento is still alive. Prolific directors from that era have mostly expired, but he's still trucking on. His recent work leaves a lot to be desired. For some reason, the older a director gets, the worst they become, and this is why Tarantino intends to retire before he starts making movies nobody cares about.
Tenebre threw a few unexpected twists in the end. It's a good watch, but only for fans of the genre. T
The rest of the day was spent on completing weekly activities in Destiny. Not much else to say.
/eventlog
Tenebre threw a few unexpected twists in the end. It's a good watch, but only for fans of the genre. T
The rest of the day was spent on completing weekly activities in Destiny. Not much else to say.
/eventlog
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
When It Rains...
I'm in the midst of a downpour. Fresh off the heels of my job offer, I got the results from my Store Clerk county exam. I was convinced I bombed it because I took it blind. Contrary to my fears, I scored in the A-category--the highest group. There's good, and then there's good without a conscience. Whatever challenges may come my way, I say "Bring it on!"
Event Log: 10/27/14 - Inevitable
I had an interview at a major medical device firm in Irvine. The preliminary process was all very professional. It took place in a neat building with keypad protected doors. Heck, on the way out, the receptionist even held the door out for me.
The actual interview itself, however, was conducted with all the flair of an amateur. I had instructions in my email to phone someone's cell phone so that I could be allowed onto the floor. It was suggested that I use the phone available outside the elevator, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get it to work.
It might've been one of those internal company phones that required a special code to call outside. In hindsight, I should've used the operator, but it didn't matter, because the person I was trying to call was in a conference anyways. That's the first sign of what I like to call "unprofessional conduct."
My interview was penciled at 3:45 sharp. I couldn't get into the floor until 4:00. I had to call the company that set up the interview to grease my way through. I was escorted to an empty room with blank monitors and carelessly strewn boxes. What am I, leftovers? There were long desks that lined the walls. It's a little hard to describe, but imagine an interview being conducted at a bar. The desk was the "counter top," and we faced each other on swivel chairs. It was a little awkward.
I had written previously that a good interview is a two-way street, but this street was strictly one-way. My interviewers (there were four of them) were all bored, reading from a dry script, with a completely disinterested demeanor. Their speech lacked any kind of enthusiasm. I've never felt more unwanted than the day I was left at the doorstep of an orphanage (fictional story).
I'm of the mind that I can only give what I'm given, but if I'm gonna be successful in the future, it doesn't matter how much the other side blows it. I just have to be strong enough to carry on for the both of us, and I'll drag them into a good interview regardless of their intentions or ability.
Funnily enough, it was during this interview that I got a call from the company I interviewed for last week. It was a bona fide job offer. I can't believe it. It's done. I'll have to say goodbye to my Long Vacation. No more late nights doing nothing but having fun. All of a sudden, I see nothing but possibilities in the future. Vegas 2.0 is on. I'll be joining the PC master race. It's time to get some new clothes. Etc, etc, etc.
To celebrate, I watched Psycho 2. It's well documented that Tarantino prefers the sequel over the original, but I'm gonna have to disagree. You can't topple the classics, although I think Psycho 2 is one of the better sequels in the genre.
Watching old movies is a bit tragic, especially when you like the actors. Chances are, they're already dead, irrelevant, or just plain old. It's a bigger shame for actresses since they were beautiful in their time. When I look up photos from today, it's disheartening to see why father time is undefeated. On the flipside, Barbara Crampton, of Stuart Gordon B-movie fame, has aged remarkably well. This scream queen is still looking good, even in her 50's.
It just goes to show that those who remain stars throughout their lives are a rare breed. Too many careers sputter out before they truly have a chance to shine. Hollywood ain't no place for the faint of spirit.
I'll be starting next week, which means I'll have to make some crucial decisions regarding my ongoing projects. I don't want to abandon them, but they have certainly plummeted in priority. Why do more work when I'm gonna be making money?
All aboard the gravy train, baby!
/eventlog
The actual interview itself, however, was conducted with all the flair of an amateur. I had instructions in my email to phone someone's cell phone so that I could be allowed onto the floor. It was suggested that I use the phone available outside the elevator, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get it to work.
It might've been one of those internal company phones that required a special code to call outside. In hindsight, I should've used the operator, but it didn't matter, because the person I was trying to call was in a conference anyways. That's the first sign of what I like to call "unprofessional conduct."
My interview was penciled at 3:45 sharp. I couldn't get into the floor until 4:00. I had to call the company that set up the interview to grease my way through. I was escorted to an empty room with blank monitors and carelessly strewn boxes. What am I, leftovers? There were long desks that lined the walls. It's a little hard to describe, but imagine an interview being conducted at a bar. The desk was the "counter top," and we faced each other on swivel chairs. It was a little awkward.
I had written previously that a good interview is a two-way street, but this street was strictly one-way. My interviewers (there were four of them) were all bored, reading from a dry script, with a completely disinterested demeanor. Their speech lacked any kind of enthusiasm. I've never felt more unwanted than the day I was left at the doorstep of an orphanage (fictional story).
I'm of the mind that I can only give what I'm given, but if I'm gonna be successful in the future, it doesn't matter how much the other side blows it. I just have to be strong enough to carry on for the both of us, and I'll drag them into a good interview regardless of their intentions or ability.
Funnily enough, it was during this interview that I got a call from the company I interviewed for last week. It was a bona fide job offer. I can't believe it. It's done. I'll have to say goodbye to my Long Vacation. No more late nights doing nothing but having fun. All of a sudden, I see nothing but possibilities in the future. Vegas 2.0 is on. I'll be joining the PC master race. It's time to get some new clothes. Etc, etc, etc.
To celebrate, I watched Psycho 2. It's well documented that Tarantino prefers the sequel over the original, but I'm gonna have to disagree. You can't topple the classics, although I think Psycho 2 is one of the better sequels in the genre.
Watching old movies is a bit tragic, especially when you like the actors. Chances are, they're already dead, irrelevant, or just plain old. It's a bigger shame for actresses since they were beautiful in their time. When I look up photos from today, it's disheartening to see why father time is undefeated. On the flipside, Barbara Crampton, of Stuart Gordon B-movie fame, has aged remarkably well. This scream queen is still looking good, even in her 50's.
It just goes to show that those who remain stars throughout their lives are a rare breed. Too many careers sputter out before they truly have a chance to shine. Hollywood ain't no place for the faint of spirit.
I'll be starting next week, which means I'll have to make some crucial decisions regarding my ongoing projects. I don't want to abandon them, but they have certainly plummeted in priority. Why do more work when I'm gonna be making money?
All aboard the gravy train, baby!
/eventlog
Monday, October 27, 2014
Event Log: 10/26/14 - Changing Tides
I can sense a change in the air. I already know what it is since I'm writing this from tomorrow, but even then, something felt different when I woke up this Sunday morning. Maybe it's because I watched my horror movie early for once, or maybe it's because the Saints won by an overwhelming margin over the Packers, or maybe it's because the parking lot at church is finally done--whatever the case, it signaled a clear change of direction in my life.
Speaking of horror, I watched V/H/S 2, which is clearly the best installment in the series--but that isn't saying much. A lot of people seem high on Gareth Evans' short and the one with the zombies in the woods, but since I'm tired of zombies lately, I like the first short the best even though most thought it was mediocre. I'm a sucker for cheap scares, and when it comes to the supernatural, nothing gets me like peeking through a doorway in first-person only to have a face pop up out of nowhere. It loses steam in the end like all ghost stories but at least the lead up was fun.
When you watch a lot of horror, you notice a lot of overlap and influences. The genre is notorious for recycling, so I couldn't help but notice the trend of "dejawing." In the Orphanage, old lady is missing a jaw; in V/H/S 2, the guy's missing a jaw; even in Hannibal, dead guy is missing a jaw. I'd mention Braindead too, but Braindead has everything so it doesn't count. Next to eye gouging, a dejawing is probably the most horrific example of facial disfigurement--aside from a complete cranial explosion anyways. It's unsettling to see a tongue hang out where a jaw should be, but missing any part of the body is cause for concern.
For the rest of the day, I watched Gotham up to the current episode. It's got an interesting parallel structure where Gordon's rise in the ranks is mirrored by Penguin's similar trajectory in the underworld. They both have to defer to the powers that be until their time comes to shine.
The set design has remained consistent and the city feels more like Gotham than it does in The Dark Knight where it might as well be called Chicago. I'm not too fond of Jada Pinkett Smith or Detective Angel Batista (from Dexter) as an Italian mob boss, but I give a lot of credit to the guy who plays Penguin since he's the perfect scumbag.
Jim Gordon is solid but nothing special. That's typically what happens when you play a straight-laced guy. Alfred is played interestingly, perhaps more like his counterpart in Earth One than the traditionally wry sarcastic butler we've come to appreciate. He's a bit abrasive, but a lot nicer than the special ops version of Alfred in the aforementioned Earth One.
As the series goes on, the plot has gotten more and more "cartoony," so to speak. The villains are becoming more colorful and I'm surprised by the level of violence on display. You got dudes getting their eyes poked out by metal spikes and contract killers running around burning councilmen in open oil drums. The onslaught of corruption and mayhem sort of reminds me of The Shield, but with flavor.
Watching all this Gotham got me curious about the comics. I read Batman: Year One, The Court of Owls, and Earth One. Earth One is a reboot of the series that hasn't had a followup since it was released in 2012. Year One, of course, is the definitive origin story. I had watched the cartoon movie that's based on Year One so I was already familiar with the plot. The movie featured Ben McKenzie (the guy who plays Gordon in Gotham) as Bruce Wayne, and Bryan Cranston lent his voice talents as Gordon. Funny how that works out. In Year One, Gordon is a real badass.
After exhausting the Batman issues, I felt like reading some more comics and put a few more Spider-Man issues under my belt. I like Batman as much as the next guy, but the web crawler will always be my favorite superhero.
I guess I relate more than a down on his luck Peter Parker than a billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne.
/eventlog
Speaking of horror, I watched V/H/S 2, which is clearly the best installment in the series--but that isn't saying much. A lot of people seem high on Gareth Evans' short and the one with the zombies in the woods, but since I'm tired of zombies lately, I like the first short the best even though most thought it was mediocre. I'm a sucker for cheap scares, and when it comes to the supernatural, nothing gets me like peeking through a doorway in first-person only to have a face pop up out of nowhere. It loses steam in the end like all ghost stories but at least the lead up was fun.
When you watch a lot of horror, you notice a lot of overlap and influences. The genre is notorious for recycling, so I couldn't help but notice the trend of "dejawing." In the Orphanage, old lady is missing a jaw; in V/H/S 2, the guy's missing a jaw; even in Hannibal, dead guy is missing a jaw. I'd mention Braindead too, but Braindead has everything so it doesn't count. Next to eye gouging, a dejawing is probably the most horrific example of facial disfigurement--aside from a complete cranial explosion anyways. It's unsettling to see a tongue hang out where a jaw should be, but missing any part of the body is cause for concern.
For the rest of the day, I watched Gotham up to the current episode. It's got an interesting parallel structure where Gordon's rise in the ranks is mirrored by Penguin's similar trajectory in the underworld. They both have to defer to the powers that be until their time comes to shine.
The set design has remained consistent and the city feels more like Gotham than it does in The Dark Knight where it might as well be called Chicago. I'm not too fond of Jada Pinkett Smith or Detective Angel Batista (from Dexter) as an Italian mob boss, but I give a lot of credit to the guy who plays Penguin since he's the perfect scumbag.
Jim Gordon is solid but nothing special. That's typically what happens when you play a straight-laced guy. Alfred is played interestingly, perhaps more like his counterpart in Earth One than the traditionally wry sarcastic butler we've come to appreciate. He's a bit abrasive, but a lot nicer than the special ops version of Alfred in the aforementioned Earth One.
As the series goes on, the plot has gotten more and more "cartoony," so to speak. The villains are becoming more colorful and I'm surprised by the level of violence on display. You got dudes getting their eyes poked out by metal spikes and contract killers running around burning councilmen in open oil drums. The onslaught of corruption and mayhem sort of reminds me of The Shield, but with flavor.
Watching all this Gotham got me curious about the comics. I read Batman: Year One, The Court of Owls, and Earth One. Earth One is a reboot of the series that hasn't had a followup since it was released in 2012. Year One, of course, is the definitive origin story. I had watched the cartoon movie that's based on Year One so I was already familiar with the plot. The movie featured Ben McKenzie (the guy who plays Gordon in Gotham) as Bruce Wayne, and Bryan Cranston lent his voice talents as Gordon. Funny how that works out. In Year One, Gordon is a real badass.
After exhausting the Batman issues, I felt like reading some more comics and put a few more Spider-Man issues under my belt. I like Batman as much as the next guy, but the web crawler will always be my favorite superhero.
I guess I relate more than a down on his luck Peter Parker than a billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne.
/eventlog
Event Log: 10/25/14 - Dip in the Water
I woke up early for my niece's baptism. We got a little lost when we arrived, accidentally wandering into a wedding before we found the place. We were wondering why everyone was dressed so formally. Funny mistake. The ceremony proceeded smoothly for the most part. When it was time for the babies to get baptized, one of the ladies in charge tried fruitlessly to quiet down the crowd. Everybody decided it was the perfect chance to make small talk. It's baffling how a group of adults could be so disrespectful in a time of sacred silence.
After the ceremony, we went out for Korean BBQ. Why are all KBBQ places sticky? It's kind of disgusting. I ate until I was full, but not to the point of bursting like I tend to do at these places. I even had room for ice cream--the cone was stale though. It tasted like cardboard. I guess that's why the ice cream is free as part of the all you can eat package.
Bulgogi is my go-to, so I was disappointed that the place served incredibly chewy pieces. I had to swallow some whole because of how tough it was to break down. My brother-in-law kept talking about how the place uses better quality meat than others, but I'm thinking that Gen is superior in every way. If you wanna hit up a good KBBQ joint, that's where you go.
My little brother dropped me off at the movie theater to watch John Wick with my friends. I like the movie. It's got influences from Johnny To, Michael Mann, and Equilibrium. It's got some of the best shootouts I've seen since...I don't even know. It's unique, fluid, and great fun, and reminiscent of the heroic bloodshed Hong Kong style, but a lot more steady and stylish.
After the movie, we went on a wild goose chase to find the perfect place to drink. We even hit up a bar rescue bar, but the endeavor involved more driving than drinking. I didn't think it was possible to do so much for it to mean so little in the end.
To cap the night, I watched V/H/S Viral, the third in the horror anthology series. It's available as a VOD (similar release strategy as Snowpiercer), but its theatrical release is in November. It's a surefire shoe-in for omega bomba status because it sucks.
The found-footage genre reached its peak with REC and it's been downhill ever since. It's a dead end. Horror is an incredibly contrived genre, and to bring the contrivance of people carrying cameras even in the most terrifying situations is adding contrivance on top of contrivance. It's contrived to the point of pure distraction. I can't take what I'm seeing seriously if all I'm thinking is why these morons don't just toss the damn camera already. "Bonestorm" is probably the dumbest short of them all.
I consider this another shameful addition to "mumblegore," For all the hoopla about Hollywood's creative bankruptcy in horror, The Conjuring is still one of the best ones in recent memory, and that's totally a high-budget studio production. Unless these dudes can produce something on the level of Evil Dead, I'm just gonna forget about them.
/eventlog
After the ceremony, we went out for Korean BBQ. Why are all KBBQ places sticky? It's kind of disgusting. I ate until I was full, but not to the point of bursting like I tend to do at these places. I even had room for ice cream--the cone was stale though. It tasted like cardboard. I guess that's why the ice cream is free as part of the all you can eat package.
Bulgogi is my go-to, so I was disappointed that the place served incredibly chewy pieces. I had to swallow some whole because of how tough it was to break down. My brother-in-law kept talking about how the place uses better quality meat than others, but I'm thinking that Gen is superior in every way. If you wanna hit up a good KBBQ joint, that's where you go.
My little brother dropped me off at the movie theater to watch John Wick with my friends. I like the movie. It's got influences from Johnny To, Michael Mann, and Equilibrium. It's got some of the best shootouts I've seen since...I don't even know. It's unique, fluid, and great fun, and reminiscent of the heroic bloodshed Hong Kong style, but a lot more steady and stylish.
After the movie, we went on a wild goose chase to find the perfect place to drink. We even hit up a bar rescue bar, but the endeavor involved more driving than drinking. I didn't think it was possible to do so much for it to mean so little in the end.
To cap the night, I watched V/H/S Viral, the third in the horror anthology series. It's available as a VOD (similar release strategy as Snowpiercer), but its theatrical release is in November. It's a surefire shoe-in for omega bomba status because it sucks.
The found-footage genre reached its peak with REC and it's been downhill ever since. It's a dead end. Horror is an incredibly contrived genre, and to bring the contrivance of people carrying cameras even in the most terrifying situations is adding contrivance on top of contrivance. It's contrived to the point of pure distraction. I can't take what I'm seeing seriously if all I'm thinking is why these morons don't just toss the damn camera already. "Bonestorm" is probably the dumbest short of them all.
I consider this another shameful addition to "mumblegore," For all the hoopla about Hollywood's creative bankruptcy in horror, The Conjuring is still one of the best ones in recent memory, and that's totally a high-budget studio production. Unless these dudes can produce something on the level of Evil Dead, I'm just gonna forget about them.
/eventlog
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Event Log: 10/24/14 - Phenomenal
I cashed in on an interview that was set up on short notice yesterday. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it went well. I'll know by next week whether I'll get it or not. Afternoon interviews are always killer on my schedule. It's not early enough that I have time to spare and it's not late enough that I can squeeze in my obligations beforehand. As soon as I went home, it was almost all Destiny. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to squeeze in Dario Argento's Phenomena, featuring the young Jennifer Connelly.
Phenomena easily wins the award for best twist ending, handily snatching it from Sleepaway Camp. Even for people who never intend to see the movie, I hesitate to reveal what actually happens. I suggest you look it up on YouTube if you're really curious and don't care about spoilers.
Because I'm lazy (and the fact that it's Friday), I didn't get to my workout until 1 in the morning. I finished at around 3. I could've skipped my last post on JomattoPro, but I didn't want to let it pass. If I make a habit of it, I'll let too many things escape. Even if things get away from me, I can always catch it back. I just need to make an effort.
/eventlog
Phenomena easily wins the award for best twist ending, handily snatching it from Sleepaway Camp. Even for people who never intend to see the movie, I hesitate to reveal what actually happens. I suggest you look it up on YouTube if you're really curious and don't care about spoilers.
Because I'm lazy (and the fact that it's Friday), I didn't get to my workout until 1 in the morning. I finished at around 3. I could've skipped my last post on JomattoPro, but I didn't want to let it pass. If I make a habit of it, I'll let too many things escape. Even if things get away from me, I can always catch it back. I just need to make an effort.
/eventlog
Friday, October 24, 2014
Event Log: 10/23/14 - Marathons of Marathons
Today was an avalanche of movies and TV. I don't what got into me. I felt like kicking back and turning my brain off. All I had to do was keep my eyes peeled and my ears open. As much as I love gaming, I need some passive activity to numb my hyperactive mind.
Since I skipped out on movies for the last two days, I wanted to catch up in one fell swoop. I started off with a strange one called Society. It's about a kid who feels isolated from his rich family. He eventually discovers that his family and all of high society are of a different species that literally suck the life out of the poor. I'm sure it's supposed to be a metaphor for the class struggle, but it devolves into prosthetic effects overload in the end where the final confrontation has the main character turn the antagonist literally inside out. Who knew the rich were rotten and full of maggots inside?
I dug deeper into Peter Jackon's library with Bad Taste. The premise is simple: aliens have attacked small towns in New Zealand. A small group of badasses move in to solve the problem, which involves copious amounts of gunfire, stabbings, chainsaws, and rocket launchers. It's very dated. YouTube videos have better production values than this, but I suppose it was original and well done for its time, especially with its shoestring budget. To see the progression from Bad Taste to Braindead in terms of directorial skill is quite remarkable. PJ definitely got better with age, although some may argue a regression in recent times.
To round out the cinematic trifecta, I watched "House," a 1977 Japanese film about high school girls being eaten by a house in the countryside. It's a surreal experience that's very much a product of its time, chock full of hand-animated effects, painted backgrounds, and experimental green screen usage. It's briskly paced with all sorts of wipes, transitions, overlays, and a cacophonous audio mix with songs overlapping each other. It is the very definition of a psychedelic trip. Epileptics beware.
I was still hungry for more, so I finished the second season of Hannibal. I chewed through the last four episodes and I can't wait for next season. I've seen all the Hannibal Lecter movies and even read Red Dragon, so I, more or less, know what's going to happen, which is why it's exciting to see the writers throw wrenches into my expectations. Nobody is truly safe. Hannibal remains the most stylish show on TV right now. The cinematography is off the charts. More people need to watch this.
My new show for the season is Gotham. It wasn't the greatest pilot but the foundation is solid enough. It feels like they're really shoehorning in those character cameos though. I like the actor who plays Gordon. He's real solid. It's a standard detective show with corruption as the primary focus. The only other feature of note is the set design. They really went out out of their way to make Gotham a living, breathing, and believable alternate metropolis. The small flashes of the cityscape almost redeems the show for me. I just love the aesthetic.
To close the night, I watched the most recent two episodes of The Walking Dead. I have to say, I already like this season a lot more than the past, although the writers have a bad tendency to press the reset button between seasons.
[Spoiler alert] After all that buildup to get to Terminus at the end of last season, it gets destroyed in one episode. But they remedy this quickly with the second episode, when it turns out, those Terminus folk are still alive. Even more exciting, it seems like they're setting up the "Butcher" as the new villain, who sound suspiciously like Negan from the comics. Speaking of the recent episode, Bob is totally infected and those fools just ate tainted meat. I wonder if they're gonna have Rick kill people by pointing at them like in the comics? Obviously, he didn't kill them with his pointing power, it's because Andrea was sniping (yes, she's still alive in the comics). [End spoiler alert]
There's some solid continuity in this season and they have a concrete goal. My problem with previous seasons is that they're always waffling around in one place, so it might be good to have them be constantly on the move and hunted. On the other hand, they might make it to Washington in one episode. You never know with these writers. Either way, it's a strong start. I might not be ashamed to say I like this year.
/eventlog
Since I skipped out on movies for the last two days, I wanted to catch up in one fell swoop. I started off with a strange one called Society. It's about a kid who feels isolated from his rich family. He eventually discovers that his family and all of high society are of a different species that literally suck the life out of the poor. I'm sure it's supposed to be a metaphor for the class struggle, but it devolves into prosthetic effects overload in the end where the final confrontation has the main character turn the antagonist literally inside out. Who knew the rich were rotten and full of maggots inside?
I dug deeper into Peter Jackon's library with Bad Taste. The premise is simple: aliens have attacked small towns in New Zealand. A small group of badasses move in to solve the problem, which involves copious amounts of gunfire, stabbings, chainsaws, and rocket launchers. It's very dated. YouTube videos have better production values than this, but I suppose it was original and well done for its time, especially with its shoestring budget. To see the progression from Bad Taste to Braindead in terms of directorial skill is quite remarkable. PJ definitely got better with age, although some may argue a regression in recent times.
To round out the cinematic trifecta, I watched "House," a 1977 Japanese film about high school girls being eaten by a house in the countryside. It's a surreal experience that's very much a product of its time, chock full of hand-animated effects, painted backgrounds, and experimental green screen usage. It's briskly paced with all sorts of wipes, transitions, overlays, and a cacophonous audio mix with songs overlapping each other. It is the very definition of a psychedelic trip. Epileptics beware.
I was still hungry for more, so I finished the second season of Hannibal. I chewed through the last four episodes and I can't wait for next season. I've seen all the Hannibal Lecter movies and even read Red Dragon, so I, more or less, know what's going to happen, which is why it's exciting to see the writers throw wrenches into my expectations. Nobody is truly safe. Hannibal remains the most stylish show on TV right now. The cinematography is off the charts. More people need to watch this.
My new show for the season is Gotham. It wasn't the greatest pilot but the foundation is solid enough. It feels like they're really shoehorning in those character cameos though. I like the actor who plays Gordon. He's real solid. It's a standard detective show with corruption as the primary focus. The only other feature of note is the set design. They really went out out of their way to make Gotham a living, breathing, and believable alternate metropolis. The small flashes of the cityscape almost redeems the show for me. I just love the aesthetic.
To close the night, I watched the most recent two episodes of The Walking Dead. I have to say, I already like this season a lot more than the past, although the writers have a bad tendency to press the reset button between seasons.
[Spoiler alert] After all that buildup to get to Terminus at the end of last season, it gets destroyed in one episode. But they remedy this quickly with the second episode, when it turns out, those Terminus folk are still alive. Even more exciting, it seems like they're setting up the "Butcher" as the new villain, who sound suspiciously like Negan from the comics. Speaking of the recent episode, Bob is totally infected and those fools just ate tainted meat. I wonder if they're gonna have Rick kill people by pointing at them like in the comics? Obviously, he didn't kill them with his pointing power, it's because Andrea was sniping (yes, she's still alive in the comics). [End spoiler alert]
There's some solid continuity in this season and they have a concrete goal. My problem with previous seasons is that they're always waffling around in one place, so it might be good to have them be constantly on the move and hunted. On the other hand, they might make it to Washington in one episode. You never know with these writers. Either way, it's a strong start. I might not be ashamed to say I like this year.
/eventlog
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Event Log: 10/22/14 - Overtake
The problem with sacrificing days is that it forces me to catch up tomorrow. In some ways, I'm sacrificing two for the sake of one.
I doubled my workload and slogged through my self-assigned proceedings. That means double Event Logs, double Tumblr posts, and double JomattoPro entries. Speaking of JomattoPro, I've garnered more likes than usual for my first foray into fashion. It's a bit gratifying to see my projects panning out, and since I'm on a roll, I'll have to stay committed. I wonder if I'll have enough time to do everything I want.
Because of all this activity, I'm scheduling a triple header for tomorrow. I caught a little bit of the Lakers-Blazers game and saw flashes of potential from our rookie corps. I'm a fan of Lin, so it's good to see him get some burn too. We finished up the hard raid and then went through it on normal on our alts. Easy breezy. What took us an entire week last time only took us two nights. There's the value in experience, and I suppose that's why it's the most sought after commodity from prospective employees. You can't teach experience.
I think it's funny that the more I do, the less I have to talk about in Event Logs. It's because what I "do" is create content similar to this, in which case, my works speak for themselves.
I've only heard of John Wick today, but since it's 90+ on RT and features Keanu Reeves, it's become an instant watch. The reviews seem positively glowing too. I could use a good action flick with all the horror I've been watching lately.
/eventlog
I doubled my workload and slogged through my self-assigned proceedings. That means double Event Logs, double Tumblr posts, and double JomattoPro entries. Speaking of JomattoPro, I've garnered more likes than usual for my first foray into fashion. It's a bit gratifying to see my projects panning out, and since I'm on a roll, I'll have to stay committed. I wonder if I'll have enough time to do everything I want.
Because of all this activity, I'm scheduling a triple header for tomorrow. I caught a little bit of the Lakers-Blazers game and saw flashes of potential from our rookie corps. I'm a fan of Lin, so it's good to see him get some burn too. We finished up the hard raid and then went through it on normal on our alts. Easy breezy. What took us an entire week last time only took us two nights. There's the value in experience, and I suppose that's why it's the most sought after commodity from prospective employees. You can't teach experience.
I think it's funny that the more I do, the less I have to talk about in Event Logs. It's because what I "do" is create content similar to this, in which case, my works speak for themselves.
I've only heard of John Wick today, but since it's 90+ on RT and features Keanu Reeves, it's become an instant watch. The reviews seem positively glowing too. I could use a good action flick with all the horror I've been watching lately.
/eventlog
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Event Log: 10/21/14 - Location Not Found
I had another interview today but I couldn't find the place and missed out. From the look of things, I won't be getting a second chance. I don't feel too bad about it because I got sketchy vibes from the whole ordeal.
The entire affair was conducted with amateur finesse. Key information was not communicated and I was left with no lifeline to hold on to in case of emergency. Rather than be miserable about it, I'll take it as a life lesson and move on to brighter and more competent endeavors. The faster I could put this nonsense behind me, the better.
It's an extreme overreaction on my part because of the frustration, but I sacrificed my entire day to Destiny. I resigned myself to catching up on all my tasks tomorrow, including another horror double header.
/eventlog
The entire affair was conducted with amateur finesse. Key information was not communicated and I was left with no lifeline to hold on to in case of emergency. Rather than be miserable about it, I'll take it as a life lesson and move on to brighter and more competent endeavors. The faster I could put this nonsense behind me, the better.
It's an extreme overreaction on my part because of the frustration, but I sacrificed my entire day to Destiny. I resigned myself to catching up on all my tasks tomorrow, including another horror double header.
/eventlog
Event Log: 10/20/14 - Whatever Happened
I had an interview in the morning. I didn't have much time to prepare, so I tried to relax as much as possible. It didn't go amazing, but it didn't go terrible. I really do need to draft a personal template for interviews. I know I can be polished, but given the time between interviews and the particular differences in their needs, I need a template that can be tweaked to specific situations on demand.
For today's selection, I watched Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? This is probably my new favorite from the black and white "classic" era. Baby Jane has got to be one of the most despicable onscreen villains I've had the pleasure of watching in a long time. She's heinous because of how real her brand of familial maliciousness is. I don't doubt that there siblings out there with a similar level of enmity towards each other, and it's kind of sad to think about. It takes all kinds, I tell you.
We beat the final boss in the hard raid just in time for the weekly refresh. It only took us about six tries. It was a quick fight compared to our struggles in the past week. All I got out of it was a legendary sparrow.
Not there was any question, but my win in fantasy was confirmed once Monday Night Football ended. It's impossible to make up a 50 point deficit with one player.
/eventlog
For today's selection, I watched Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? This is probably my new favorite from the black and white "classic" era. Baby Jane has got to be one of the most despicable onscreen villains I've had the pleasure of watching in a long time. She's heinous because of how real her brand of familial maliciousness is. I don't doubt that there siblings out there with a similar level of enmity towards each other, and it's kind of sad to think about. It takes all kinds, I tell you.
We beat the final boss in the hard raid just in time for the weekly refresh. It only took us about six tries. It was a quick fight compared to our struggles in the past week. All I got out of it was a legendary sparrow.
Not there was any question, but my win in fantasy was confirmed once Monday Night Football ended. It's impossible to make up a 50 point deficit with one player.
/eventlog
Monday, October 20, 2014
Event Log: 10/19/14 - A Quiet Sunday
Today should've been preparation for tomorrow's interview, but I'm always getting sidetracked by something. It took us three days, but we finally got past the Gatekeeper in the hard raid. Now we just have to beat the final boss.
When I woke up, I looked up the scoreboard for the NFL. Saints lose by one point. This season's a lost cause. At least I'm winning in fantasy.
I watched You're Next on Netflix. It's apparently part of a new wave of indie horror dubbed "mumblegore." I'm not impressed. It's lacking the energy that characterized the previous generation of horror filmmakers, which includes trailblazers like Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi. Their work is classic. This stuff? Just feels like low-rent wannabe high concept.
You're Next is actually pretty good in terms of suspense, but the twist does not redeem a bad intro or the fizzing out in the final act. It's one of those movies that, when you think about it, is fundamentally flawed at the premise. It's a shame since the moment-to-moment suspense is good. If it had a stronger plot, I wouldn't be so annoyed.
/eventlog
When I woke up, I looked up the scoreboard for the NFL. Saints lose by one point. This season's a lost cause. At least I'm winning in fantasy.
I watched You're Next on Netflix. It's apparently part of a new wave of indie horror dubbed "mumblegore." I'm not impressed. It's lacking the energy that characterized the previous generation of horror filmmakers, which includes trailblazers like Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi. Their work is classic. This stuff? Just feels like low-rent wannabe high concept.
You're Next is actually pretty good in terms of suspense, but the twist does not redeem a bad intro or the fizzing out in the final act. It's one of those movies that, when you think about it, is fundamentally flawed at the premise. It's a shame since the moment-to-moment suspense is good. If it had a stronger plot, I wouldn't be so annoyed.
/eventlog
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Event Log: 10/18/14 - Weekly Outings
I got up early so I could cash in on my double header. I started The Innocents, a black and white Victorian horror from Britain. It wasn't as mesmerizing as other movies I've seen from the era. A large part of my lukewarm reception has to do with the lead. She's naive to a fault and has no idea what she's doing, but halfway through, she starts making illogical leaps in thinking. It tows that line that makes us wonder, is she going crazy or is there really a ghost? I like that type of questionable horror but it really depends on the lead. She became irrational much too quickly for my taste.
Next up on the plate was Dead Alive, also known as Braindead, by Peter Jackson. It's funny to see this movie, which probably represents the height of practical gore effects, in the filmography of today's most excessive employer of CG. Budget really does make a difference. One of the things that stand out are the abundance of close ups in B-movie fashion.
It takes place in New Zealand, so everybody speaks with that quirky accent. The plot deals with a rat monkey whose bite turns people into zombies. Someone on IMDB once said it was a reverse zombified version of Norman Bates story in Psycho; it's quite an apt description. In typical Peter Jackson fashion, the movie drags near the end with obscene excess, but every frame is filled with such energy that it's hard to fault him for it. This is probably one of, if not, the most gory movie I have ever seen.
Most gore movies restrict themselves in some way, either because of budget or limitations on creativity. You might get a decapitation here, a dismemberment there, and some intestinal play, but I've never seen a movie go the full nine yards in terms of gore. Dead Alive is the first movie to go the distance. The entire human body is subject to evisceration. You've got splitting faces, rib cage removals, spinal extractions, head blenders, facial peeling, and even crawling organ monsters. The sheer creativity and inventiveness makes me wish Peter Jackson would go back and make a horror comedy with his new CG toys. I can't even imagine how that insanity would look like on screen.
Dead Alive is a new inductee in my zombie movie hall of fame. It's disgustingly brilliant.
With all my movies finished, it was time to go drinking with friends. It started out with dinner at Twin Dragon, a Chinese fast food joint. I got an orange chicken bowl. Having satisfied my appetite, we went to Cafe Tu Tu Tango for drinks. There were four of us in total. We hung out and drank outside to the tune of weird "Moroccan" music, complete with a roaming belly dancer. She tried to get a gentleman to dance with her, but he didn't seem to have any idea of what was going on or what to do. Don't you hate it when people can't let loose and have a little fun at their own expense?
We tried to hit up Dave and Busters but the overpriced three dollar cover put the kibosh on that plan. We went to El Torito instead, which was nice, since they offered complimentary salsa chips. I had the mango mojito which wasn't too bad. It's unfortunate we started the night so early because I missed out on meeting another friend who couldn't come because he got off work late.
I went home and played Destiny as I listened to my friends chat over Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. I got a little carried away in PVP and didn't get to sleep until 5. Since I've got interviews on Monday and Tuesday, I only have Sunday to prepare for everything. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow.
/eventlog
Next up on the plate was Dead Alive, also known as Braindead, by Peter Jackson. It's funny to see this movie, which probably represents the height of practical gore effects, in the filmography of today's most excessive employer of CG. Budget really does make a difference. One of the things that stand out are the abundance of close ups in B-movie fashion.
It takes place in New Zealand, so everybody speaks with that quirky accent. The plot deals with a rat monkey whose bite turns people into zombies. Someone on IMDB once said it was a reverse zombified version of Norman Bates story in Psycho; it's quite an apt description. In typical Peter Jackson fashion, the movie drags near the end with obscene excess, but every frame is filled with such energy that it's hard to fault him for it. This is probably one of, if not, the most gory movie I have ever seen.
Most gore movies restrict themselves in some way, either because of budget or limitations on creativity. You might get a decapitation here, a dismemberment there, and some intestinal play, but I've never seen a movie go the full nine yards in terms of gore. Dead Alive is the first movie to go the distance. The entire human body is subject to evisceration. You've got splitting faces, rib cage removals, spinal extractions, head blenders, facial peeling, and even crawling organ monsters. The sheer creativity and inventiveness makes me wish Peter Jackson would go back and make a horror comedy with his new CG toys. I can't even imagine how that insanity would look like on screen.
Dead Alive is a new inductee in my zombie movie hall of fame. It's disgustingly brilliant.
With all my movies finished, it was time to go drinking with friends. It started out with dinner at Twin Dragon, a Chinese fast food joint. I got an orange chicken bowl. Having satisfied my appetite, we went to Cafe Tu Tu Tango for drinks. There were four of us in total. We hung out and drank outside to the tune of weird "Moroccan" music, complete with a roaming belly dancer. She tried to get a gentleman to dance with her, but he didn't seem to have any idea of what was going on or what to do. Don't you hate it when people can't let loose and have a little fun at their own expense?
We tried to hit up Dave and Busters but the overpriced three dollar cover put the kibosh on that plan. We went to El Torito instead, which was nice, since they offered complimentary salsa chips. I had the mango mojito which wasn't too bad. It's unfortunate we started the night so early because I missed out on meeting another friend who couldn't come because he got off work late.
I went home and played Destiny as I listened to my friends chat over Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. I got a little carried away in PVP and didn't get to sleep until 5. Since I've got interviews on Monday and Tuesday, I only have Sunday to prepare for everything. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow.
/eventlog
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Event Log: 10/17/14 - ROI
The battery ran out on my phone, which made me get up later than expected. The secret to my recent success has been an early rising--at least that's what I thought. Perhaps because I was short on time, I went on a tear today. I've secured two job interviews for next week, which means my hard work is paying off. This is no time to relax though. Just because I get one or two hits doesn't mean I can be smug. I still gotta stay on my toes.
I've been getting better at finishing my work early. Destiny is still drawing too much attention, but between job hunting, horror movie watching, and my writing, I'm doing an admirable job juggling everything. My only caveat is that I need to focus on each individual task more often. I keep jumping from assignment to assignment like I'm "multitasking," the very thing I blasted in my latest entry on JomattoPro. It's a symptom of my inability to focus. I admit, I eventually get things done, but I wonder if I'm doing it inefficiently.
Today's movies were The Orphanage, a Spanish film produced by Guillermo del Toro, and The Devil's Rejects, written and directed by Rob Zombie. From the very beginning of The Orphanage, I felt that it was something special. Once the end credits rolled, my initial assumption was correct.
Out of all the modern horror movies I've seen this month, this is probably my favorite. I got very strong vibes similar to The Others, which is another Spanish film production. There must be something in the water over in Spain that helps them create some really good ghost stories.
What I like most about The Orphanage is the strong emotional core. It also has the del Toro fairy tale quality where the afterlife is simply a continuation of existence where love triumphs above all. I've never been a fan of following loved ones into the void. I like to stay firmly on the side of the living for as long as I can.
Despite how well I like the film, it falls into the same traps that annoy me in every other supernatural thriller, and that is the nonsensical nature of "hauntings." Even if I were to believe that ghosts exist, there is no logical reason for them to screw around with the living for no other purpose than to freak them out. It's a movie contrivance meant to scare the characters onscreen and the audience, but in terms of plot, there's no reason for them to be playing around. If you were a ghost looking for revenge, I don't see why you can't show up without the creepy mist and nonsense and straight up tell the living person, "Yo, I got unfairly killed by such and such. Tell the police for me, kay?"
This is part of the reason why I love The Others. It completely subverts this aspect of supernatural horror and incorporates it very cleverly into its narrative.
I feel that the sudden death by car accident scene is becoming a trope in horror movies, because the same thing happens in both The Orphanage and The Devil's Rejects. It's becoming less shocking and more of a "okay, got it," type moment.
The Devil's Rejects is a rather irritating movie that somehow manages to redeem itself by the end, but not by much. It depends on your tolerance for watching depraved individuals indulge in depravity and getting away with it until they meet their comeuppance. Before I watched the movie, I read a review that remarked on how "brilliantly" Rob Zombie gets the audience to sympathize with his merry band of murderers, rapists, and general scum of society. That review couldn't be farther from the truth. This is one of those movies that I wish ended with a nuke killing everybody because there's not a single sympathetic character besides the poor victims.
The movie also affirms my stance on torture. It is not acceptable in any shape or form, even if the subject himself is Hitler. If you have to kill someone, at least make it quick and painless. No need to be monstrous about it and torture the poor fools before taking their life.
/eventlog
I've been getting better at finishing my work early. Destiny is still drawing too much attention, but between job hunting, horror movie watching, and my writing, I'm doing an admirable job juggling everything. My only caveat is that I need to focus on each individual task more often. I keep jumping from assignment to assignment like I'm "multitasking," the very thing I blasted in my latest entry on JomattoPro. It's a symptom of my inability to focus. I admit, I eventually get things done, but I wonder if I'm doing it inefficiently.
Today's movies were The Orphanage, a Spanish film produced by Guillermo del Toro, and The Devil's Rejects, written and directed by Rob Zombie. From the very beginning of The Orphanage, I felt that it was something special. Once the end credits rolled, my initial assumption was correct.
Out of all the modern horror movies I've seen this month, this is probably my favorite. I got very strong vibes similar to The Others, which is another Spanish film production. There must be something in the water over in Spain that helps them create some really good ghost stories.
What I like most about The Orphanage is the strong emotional core. It also has the del Toro fairy tale quality where the afterlife is simply a continuation of existence where love triumphs above all. I've never been a fan of following loved ones into the void. I like to stay firmly on the side of the living for as long as I can.
Despite how well I like the film, it falls into the same traps that annoy me in every other supernatural thriller, and that is the nonsensical nature of "hauntings." Even if I were to believe that ghosts exist, there is no logical reason for them to screw around with the living for no other purpose than to freak them out. It's a movie contrivance meant to scare the characters onscreen and the audience, but in terms of plot, there's no reason for them to be playing around. If you were a ghost looking for revenge, I don't see why you can't show up without the creepy mist and nonsense and straight up tell the living person, "Yo, I got unfairly killed by such and such. Tell the police for me, kay?"
This is part of the reason why I love The Others. It completely subverts this aspect of supernatural horror and incorporates it very cleverly into its narrative.
I feel that the sudden death by car accident scene is becoming a trope in horror movies, because the same thing happens in both The Orphanage and The Devil's Rejects. It's becoming less shocking and more of a "okay, got it," type moment.
The Devil's Rejects is a rather irritating movie that somehow manages to redeem itself by the end, but not by much. It depends on your tolerance for watching depraved individuals indulge in depravity and getting away with it until they meet their comeuppance. Before I watched the movie, I read a review that remarked on how "brilliantly" Rob Zombie gets the audience to sympathize with his merry band of murderers, rapists, and general scum of society. That review couldn't be farther from the truth. This is one of those movies that I wish ended with a nuke killing everybody because there's not a single sympathetic character besides the poor victims.
The movie also affirms my stance on torture. It is not acceptable in any shape or form, even if the subject himself is Hitler. If you have to kill someone, at least make it quick and painless. No need to be monstrous about it and torture the poor fools before taking their life.
/eventlog
Friday, October 17, 2014
Event Lot: 10/16/14 - Lag
The raid dominated my night again. I couldn't, in good conscience, go off to sleep without doing something, so with a good faith effort, I managed to salvage the day in the wee hours of night. If I could finish up an article and apply to several jobs in thirty minutes, why couldn't I do that earlier? Sometimes, it takes these kinds of situations to reveal to us to true limit of our capabilities.
For a Thursday though, I didn't get as much done as I would've liked. I mentioned earlier that I should get into the habit of closing activities, but my horror movie schedule is something that requires me to be like gum. I gotta stick to it. I didn't do a double or triple header, but I at least kept myself from falling behind.
I watched Diabolique, a French suspense-thriller in the vein of Hitchcock. It's a black and white foreign language film, the kind you'd expect to find in the collection of a snooty film connoisseur. It's quite well regarded and I could see why. It's unfortunate then that I compromised my own viewing experience by watching the film in broken spurts over two days. I have a good memory so it's not a problem for me to string the scenes together, but movies weren't meant to be watched like this. Next time, I just gotta bunker down and focus.
/eventlog
For a Thursday though, I didn't get as much done as I would've liked. I mentioned earlier that I should get into the habit of closing activities, but my horror movie schedule is something that requires me to be like gum. I gotta stick to it. I didn't do a double or triple header, but I at least kept myself from falling behind.
I watched Diabolique, a French suspense-thriller in the vein of Hitchcock. It's a black and white foreign language film, the kind you'd expect to find in the collection of a snooty film connoisseur. It's quite well regarded and I could see why. It's unfortunate then that I compromised my own viewing experience by watching the film in broken spurts over two days. I have a good memory so it's not a problem for me to string the scenes together, but movies weren't meant to be watched like this. Next time, I just gotta bunker down and focus.
/eventlog
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Event Log: 10/15/14 - Another Miss
For the second day in a row, I missed my opportunity to watch a horror movie. I'll either have to do a triple header or a double header for two consecutive days, neither of which are appealing prospects. If only the hard raid didn't take up so much time. We're running into walls. Thanks to the patch, it's much harder to cheese our way through. It doesn't help that it's my first time on hard.
I started my workout early and trimmed a couple minutes off the running time. I'm still idling too much between reps but I'm getting better. It definitely felt good to get it out of the way early. I didn't get to do as much as I wanted since I woke up later than usual, but I tried my best to "multitask."
There was a period of time that was lost when I was watching videos of The Evil Within. It's a Shinji Mikami game, the same guy who made RE4, and I'm seriously considering picking it up. By all accounts, The Evil Within is RE4 2.0.
It's funny how, once I made the decision to look ahead, I've lost a lot of things to say about the past. I think it's important to dedicate a part of the day to reflection. My mind is always running towards something or another. I should take a break and let the rest of my body catch up.
Because I don't wanna miss a thing.
/eventlog
I started my workout early and trimmed a couple minutes off the running time. I'm still idling too much between reps but I'm getting better. It definitely felt good to get it out of the way early. I didn't get to do as much as I wanted since I woke up later than usual, but I tried my best to "multitask."
There was a period of time that was lost when I was watching videos of The Evil Within. It's a Shinji Mikami game, the same guy who made RE4, and I'm seriously considering picking it up. By all accounts, The Evil Within is RE4 2.0.
It's funny how, once I made the decision to look ahead, I've lost a lot of things to say about the past. I think it's important to dedicate a part of the day to reflection. My mind is always running towards something or another. I should take a break and let the rest of my body catch up.
Because I don't wanna miss a thing.
/eventlog
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
A Real Test
I woke up late. This cuts down on my available time significantly. I have an entire schedule ahead of me and I gotta figure out the best way to order things. I recently wrote about multitasking and how I'm good at it in the sense that I can queue up task effectively. I suppose now is a good time to test my mettle. Gotta stay consistent. I can't lapse at this crucial moment.
Event Log: 10/14/14
Tuesdays have become my unofficial Destiny day because of the weekly refresh. There are tasks in the game that hand out rewards, but only once a week. That's why I try to do everything in a single day.
While I devoted a large chunk of time to the game, I was only able to do so because I put my work in early. My "From the Top" series might be having an effect. I wouldn't call it placebo since it's entirely designed as mental reinforcement.
I reeled off five straight job applications in a variety of positions. As long as I keep it up, I'm bound to get a hit. It's all about volume. I'm going with a combination of precise surgical strikes and cluster bombing for maximum coverage and effectiveness. Sooner or later, I'm gonna have to go with guaranteed but low payouts as a freelancer, but I'm working my way up to that point in JomattoPro. I'm planning on dipping my toes into the fashion industry.
I jumped in on a Hard Mode Raid and missed out on my 14th horror movie of the month. This means more work for me tomorrow. It's not a good thing since tomorrow's my workout day. I'm gonna be pressed for time, especially since we didn't get to beat it tonight. Just gotta get my priorities in order.
/eventlog
While I devoted a large chunk of time to the game, I was only able to do so because I put my work in early. My "From the Top" series might be having an effect. I wouldn't call it placebo since it's entirely designed as mental reinforcement.
I reeled off five straight job applications in a variety of positions. As long as I keep it up, I'm bound to get a hit. It's all about volume. I'm going with a combination of precise surgical strikes and cluster bombing for maximum coverage and effectiveness. Sooner or later, I'm gonna have to go with guaranteed but low payouts as a freelancer, but I'm working my way up to that point in JomattoPro. I'm planning on dipping my toes into the fashion industry.
I jumped in on a Hard Mode Raid and missed out on my 14th horror movie of the month. This means more work for me tomorrow. It's not a good thing since tomorrow's my workout day. I'm gonna be pressed for time, especially since we didn't get to beat it tonight. Just gotta get my priorities in order.
/eventlog
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Close It
"If I don't get it done today, then I'll do it later."
How many times have we told ourselves this? I have a bad habit of pushing things back. When it comes to any task, significant or not, I'm all about delays. But rather than delay, I'll employ a different tactic--I'll close it. If I don't get it done today, then I'll forget about it.
Stress is the ultimate enemy. If I keep breaking promises to myself, I'm only putting on more pressure. Ideally, I wouldn't be in this position, but since my tasks are personal at the moment, it's best to close assignments than leave them open.
Simplicity is the best way to approach life. Keeping a list of everything is like taking stock of the anchor around my neck. I can't focus on that. I have to keep moving. Deal with it, come up with something new, and venture forth into the future.
I won't be held back.
How many times have we told ourselves this? I have a bad habit of pushing things back. When it comes to any task, significant or not, I'm all about delays. But rather than delay, I'll employ a different tactic--I'll close it. If I don't get it done today, then I'll forget about it.
Stress is the ultimate enemy. If I keep breaking promises to myself, I'm only putting on more pressure. Ideally, I wouldn't be in this position, but since my tasks are personal at the moment, it's best to close assignments than leave them open.
Simplicity is the best way to approach life. Keeping a list of everything is like taking stock of the anchor around my neck. I can't focus on that. I have to keep moving. Deal with it, come up with something new, and venture forth into the future.
I won't be held back.
Event Log: 10/13/14 - Practice Makes Perfect
I started the day with a declaration of intent. I'd say it was about 20% effective in changing my habits. I'll have to accept that these things take time to implement successfully. I can't expect miraculous turnarounds just because I say so. But that doesn't mean I can stop trying. The more I do things, the more I can produce at a moment's notice. When it comes to my end goal, that's really it--the ability to do something with minimal thought and planning. I psych myself out of doing most things when I shouldn't have to think that hard about it. Fixing this trait of mine will go a long way in improving myself.
I got a decent amount of writing done and finally updated my professional blog. That's only the beginning. I want to get to the point where I can queue up posts instead of leaving a bunch of drafts in the box. With all my writing tasks finished, I decided to watch the next movie early.
It's called Manichithrathazhu, an Indian "ghost" movie that turns to be an elaborate episode of Scooby Doo with a psychiatric twist. I'm sure you got the gist of it. You got backward villagers scaring themselves silly when an outside professional (from America, naturally) comes in, observes the situation, and solves the issue with flashy theatrics. In Bollywood tradition, there are musical numbers to break up the arcs. I don't watch a lot of Indian movies, but the style reminds me of 90's Hong Kong flicks. There's a dance sequence in particular that shows off some great traditional Indian dance.
My only issue with the film is that it has no business being as long as it was. It was two and half hours long, give or take. I had to impose my own intermissions with naps, which wasn't a good idea in hindsight. Naps are like quick sand. Once you start, it's hard to get out. I probably lost two hours nodding in and out of consciousness.
It was another long workout. I need to condense it. In terms of volume, I'm good, but I have to make it more high intensity. It shouldn't be taking up as much time as it does right now. If I can trim it down, I can add more reps.
I capped the night off with Destiny. I should really get my gameplay in early because I have the tendency to drag it out late in the night.
/eventlog
I got a decent amount of writing done and finally updated my professional blog. That's only the beginning. I want to get to the point where I can queue up posts instead of leaving a bunch of drafts in the box. With all my writing tasks finished, I decided to watch the next movie early.
It's called Manichithrathazhu, an Indian "ghost" movie that turns to be an elaborate episode of Scooby Doo with a psychiatric twist. I'm sure you got the gist of it. You got backward villagers scaring themselves silly when an outside professional (from America, naturally) comes in, observes the situation, and solves the issue with flashy theatrics. In Bollywood tradition, there are musical numbers to break up the arcs. I don't watch a lot of Indian movies, but the style reminds me of 90's Hong Kong flicks. There's a dance sequence in particular that shows off some great traditional Indian dance.
My only issue with the film is that it has no business being as long as it was. It was two and half hours long, give or take. I had to impose my own intermissions with naps, which wasn't a good idea in hindsight. Naps are like quick sand. Once you start, it's hard to get out. I probably lost two hours nodding in and out of consciousness.
It was another long workout. I need to condense it. In terms of volume, I'm good, but I have to make it more high intensity. It shouldn't be taking up as much time as it does right now. If I can trim it down, I can add more reps.
I capped the night off with Destiny. I should really get my gameplay in early because I have the tendency to drag it out late in the night.
/eventlog
Monday, October 13, 2014
From the Top
This isn't an Event Log. This is a declaration of intent. Since I've started Event Logs in the beginning of this year, I have rarely missed a beat and proved to myself that I have the capability to create content daily. I started the endeavor as writing practice. It's now become routine, and like any routine, it's time to add to it.
If Event Logs are an account of what I did for that day, then this would be a statement of what I would like to accomplish before it starts. Writing has always been a form of accountability for me. If I say I'm going to do something on paper, I'm beholden to it. I'm not going to promise a bunch of grandiose and ambitious things on my first statement of intent, but I will have to impose new discipline on myself. Times are getting desperate, and desperation has a way of making men fly.
It's all about effort and time management. Too many minutes and hours leak out of my day. I have to take advantage of those cycles. I can't let them go to waste. It starts with discipline. I have to reign myself and keep my passions from taking over. I've tried a bunch of different strategies, but sometimes, the best way to do things is headfirst.
If Event Logs are an account of what I did for that day, then this would be a statement of what I would like to accomplish before it starts. Writing has always been a form of accountability for me. If I say I'm going to do something on paper, I'm beholden to it. I'm not going to promise a bunch of grandiose and ambitious things on my first statement of intent, but I will have to impose new discipline on myself. Times are getting desperate, and desperation has a way of making men fly.
It's all about effort and time management. Too many minutes and hours leak out of my day. I have to take advantage of those cycles. I can't let them go to waste. It starts with discipline. I have to reign myself and keep my passions from taking over. I've tried a bunch of different strategies, but sometimes, the best way to do things is headfirst.
Event Log: 10/12/14 - Offbeat
Happy Birthday, brother. I didn't get a chance to say this to him since he was on a trip, but at least it's on record now.
Today, I racked up another easy win in fantasy football with a score of 113-60. It feels like half the players in my league don't even care, which is disappointing. It makes my wins feel empty. Since it's my first time playing though, I'll take whatever breaks I can get.
For this week, I employed the whoever defense on the Jags and it worked out splendidly. Had I gone with the Bengals, I would've been in a world of mild hurt. I might have to drop them with their back-to-back abysmal defensive efforts.
I finished up the rest of Boku wa Tomodachi Sukunai Next and I can't wait for the next season, and I'm only assuming there will be another because it ends on a semi-cliff hanger. I know it's based on a series of light novels but it seems to be a successful anime. Yozora's my main girl. Things got pretty heavy in the end for such a lighthearted show. The lighter the atmosphere, the more effective the heavy stuff is when it hits. I can dig it.
My horror selection for today was an obscure film (at least to American audiences) from Yugoslavia called Davitelj protiv Davitelja, or "Strangler vs Strangler." It was released in 1984. It's a dark comedy about a serial killer in the city of Belgrade. I can't really describe it. It's one of those movies you have to watch for yourself.
What defines a film connoisseur isn't their watching history, but rather, a willingness to watch anything. This is my first foreign selection for the month and it was good, at least for satisfying an academic curiosity. I pulled the title from IMDB's list of top horror movies, but since the minimum necessary to get on the board was 1000 votes, there are quite a few obscure titles in the top spots. There's no way I'd rank this above The Thing, but the voting setup favors the minority.
For the next couple days, it's nothing but foreign titles. Ain't a problem for me. I'm a subtitle reading master.
/eventlog
Today, I racked up another easy win in fantasy football with a score of 113-60. It feels like half the players in my league don't even care, which is disappointing. It makes my wins feel empty. Since it's my first time playing though, I'll take whatever breaks I can get.
For this week, I employed the whoever defense on the Jags and it worked out splendidly. Had I gone with the Bengals, I would've been in a world of mild hurt. I might have to drop them with their back-to-back abysmal defensive efforts.
I finished up the rest of Boku wa Tomodachi Sukunai Next and I can't wait for the next season, and I'm only assuming there will be another because it ends on a semi-cliff hanger. I know it's based on a series of light novels but it seems to be a successful anime. Yozora's my main girl. Things got pretty heavy in the end for such a lighthearted show. The lighter the atmosphere, the more effective the heavy stuff is when it hits. I can dig it.
My horror selection for today was an obscure film (at least to American audiences) from Yugoslavia called Davitelj protiv Davitelja, or "Strangler vs Strangler." It was released in 1984. It's a dark comedy about a serial killer in the city of Belgrade. I can't really describe it. It's one of those movies you have to watch for yourself.
What defines a film connoisseur isn't their watching history, but rather, a willingness to watch anything. This is my first foreign selection for the month and it was good, at least for satisfying an academic curiosity. I pulled the title from IMDB's list of top horror movies, but since the minimum necessary to get on the board was 1000 votes, there are quite a few obscure titles in the top spots. There's no way I'd rank this above The Thing, but the voting setup favors the minority.
For the next couple days, it's nothing but foreign titles. Ain't a problem for me. I'm a subtitle reading master.
/eventlog
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Event Log: 10/11/14 - The Day Undone
I watched Dracula Untold. I jokingly referred to it as "Dracula Undone" because I had a suspicion that it would "undo" everything about the character. It didn't, but at the same time, it didn't add anything either. It's just kind of...there.
It's a limp, uninspiring, and relatively inoffensive work. I'd make more puns about its general lifelessness (because vampires are dead), but I'll spare you the shenanigans. I have an appreciation for movies that are neither good nor bad. It takes a great combination of lost ambition and narrow avoidance of being terrible to arrive at that middle ground. I can't pinpoint any mistakes in the movie, and there are a couple of neat sequences, but all in all, it doesn't move the heart.
My friend got confused about the time between XD and regular showings, so we chilled at Starbucks before going in. There was a lot of talk about credit cards, but with my current currency flow, such topics were lost on me. Don't you hate it when you're stuck in a conversation you have no interest in but the wheels keep spinning and spinning regardless? I listened patiently and inserted a remark here and there to maintain presence, but most of my effort went into sucking my green tea frap dry.
There was also talk about getting promotions. If my friend gets a promotion, we're getting treated to a steak dinner (tentative suggestion). We're rooting for you!
After the movie, my friends and I ate at a chicken bowl place and talked about movies. One of them brought up Ultraviolet which I knew starred Milla Jovovich. I only watched it because it was directed by Kurt Wimmer, who did Equilibrium. I think Ultraviolet destroyed his career because it was the last movie he directed. He's still got writing credits on recent releases though. It wasn't until after I got out of the shower that I recalled Aeon Flux with Charlize Theron. My friend confused it with Ultraviolet. Funny how things you can't remember suddenly strike you later in the day.
Once I got home, I watched the original 1931 version of Dracula. It wasn't until after I finished the movie did I realize that I watched it with an alternate soundtrack composed by Philip Glass. I was planning on praising the soundtrack, but in hindsight, I think it ruined a lot of the atmosphere granted by silence. I might have to rewatch it in its original form.
I enjoyed it more than Frankenstein. The primary conflict between Count Dracula and Professor Van Helsing was more interesting than Henry Frankenstein versus the Monster. It's dated and the ending was abrupt, but it's nice to see what the original was like. I view it as an academic exercise rather than a piece of entertainment. It's just too bad that vampires can never be scary again. It's permanently ingrained into pop culture as an icon, and I'm not sure if that icon is even associated with horror anymore. Hollywood needs to come up with some new monsters. I'm tired of the same old same old.
To finish the night, I completed bounties and played PVP in Destiny. In one game, I got 20+ kills with an 11 ratio or something ridiculous. The next game, we spawn on the bad side of the map and I can't get to my sweet spot. I get a .7 something ratio and we lose. Some guy sends me a message on PSN telling me that camping will give me a negative KD and lose the match. I don't think he was on the other team since I didn't recognize his name, so I assume its one of my teammates.
The guy has no idea what he's talking about. Proof? Next match, I get 25 kills with a 12 something ratio. Camping is the best tactic in a game where people's natural instincts tell them to rush with a shotgun in hand. I camp with a sniper rifle. You do the math.
At first, I lamented how the maps encourage shotgun play, but now I'm genuinely thankful for it. There's only a handful of spots in each map where I can actually snipe from, but if I'm there, I essentially remove that entire part of map from enemy play. They can't go there because I'll pop their heads in one shot. It's total map control. My strategy is defend two points and stay back.
Earlier, I played Rumble, which is a free for all mode, and sniping is impossible since people attack from multiple angles all the time. I can't really hold a position on my own without support, at least with a sniper rifle.
That's why I prefer playing Control, a team mode. My camping skills are solid, so I have to learn to be more mobile. Since I don't go out of my way to chase kills, I don't always get first place. The top spot is usually for high volume players. They get more kills but they die a lot too. It's not strange to see the top place guy with 28 kills and a 1.5 ratio while I'm underneath him with 20 kills and a 10 ratio. At least I'm not feeding the other team with easy points.
I deleted the message since I have no plans to reply to him. I'd rather leave him hanging than give him the satisfaction of acknowledgement. I've learned that the best way to deal with such messages is to never reply to them. Ever.
/eventlog
It's a limp, uninspiring, and relatively inoffensive work. I'd make more puns about its general lifelessness (because vampires are dead), but I'll spare you the shenanigans. I have an appreciation for movies that are neither good nor bad. It takes a great combination of lost ambition and narrow avoidance of being terrible to arrive at that middle ground. I can't pinpoint any mistakes in the movie, and there are a couple of neat sequences, but all in all, it doesn't move the heart.
My friend got confused about the time between XD and regular showings, so we chilled at Starbucks before going in. There was a lot of talk about credit cards, but with my current currency flow, such topics were lost on me. Don't you hate it when you're stuck in a conversation you have no interest in but the wheels keep spinning and spinning regardless? I listened patiently and inserted a remark here and there to maintain presence, but most of my effort went into sucking my green tea frap dry.
There was also talk about getting promotions. If my friend gets a promotion, we're getting treated to a steak dinner (tentative suggestion). We're rooting for you!
After the movie, my friends and I ate at a chicken bowl place and talked about movies. One of them brought up Ultraviolet which I knew starred Milla Jovovich. I only watched it because it was directed by Kurt Wimmer, who did Equilibrium. I think Ultraviolet destroyed his career because it was the last movie he directed. He's still got writing credits on recent releases though. It wasn't until after I got out of the shower that I recalled Aeon Flux with Charlize Theron. My friend confused it with Ultraviolet. Funny how things you can't remember suddenly strike you later in the day.
Once I got home, I watched the original 1931 version of Dracula. It wasn't until after I finished the movie did I realize that I watched it with an alternate soundtrack composed by Philip Glass. I was planning on praising the soundtrack, but in hindsight, I think it ruined a lot of the atmosphere granted by silence. I might have to rewatch it in its original form.
I enjoyed it more than Frankenstein. The primary conflict between Count Dracula and Professor Van Helsing was more interesting than Henry Frankenstein versus the Monster. It's dated and the ending was abrupt, but it's nice to see what the original was like. I view it as an academic exercise rather than a piece of entertainment. It's just too bad that vampires can never be scary again. It's permanently ingrained into pop culture as an icon, and I'm not sure if that icon is even associated with horror anymore. Hollywood needs to come up with some new monsters. I'm tired of the same old same old.
To finish the night, I completed bounties and played PVP in Destiny. In one game, I got 20+ kills with an 11 ratio or something ridiculous. The next game, we spawn on the bad side of the map and I can't get to my sweet spot. I get a .7 something ratio and we lose. Some guy sends me a message on PSN telling me that camping will give me a negative KD and lose the match. I don't think he was on the other team since I didn't recognize his name, so I assume its one of my teammates.
The guy has no idea what he's talking about. Proof? Next match, I get 25 kills with a 12 something ratio. Camping is the best tactic in a game where people's natural instincts tell them to rush with a shotgun in hand. I camp with a sniper rifle. You do the math.
At first, I lamented how the maps encourage shotgun play, but now I'm genuinely thankful for it. There's only a handful of spots in each map where I can actually snipe from, but if I'm there, I essentially remove that entire part of map from enemy play. They can't go there because I'll pop their heads in one shot. It's total map control. My strategy is defend two points and stay back.
Earlier, I played Rumble, which is a free for all mode, and sniping is impossible since people attack from multiple angles all the time. I can't really hold a position on my own without support, at least with a sniper rifle.
That's why I prefer playing Control, a team mode. My camping skills are solid, so I have to learn to be more mobile. Since I don't go out of my way to chase kills, I don't always get first place. The top spot is usually for high volume players. They get more kills but they die a lot too. It's not strange to see the top place guy with 28 kills and a 1.5 ratio while I'm underneath him with 20 kills and a 10 ratio. At least I'm not feeding the other team with easy points.
I deleted the message since I have no plans to reply to him. I'd rather leave him hanging than give him the satisfaction of acknowledgement. I've learned that the best way to deal with such messages is to never reply to them. Ever.
/eventlog
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Event Log: 10/10/14 - Testing
I woke up early to take a test for the county to become a store clerk. I thought I could breeze my way through it like I did with the Data Technician test until I realized that I knew nothing about inventory. In the first five minutes, I already decided that I just wasted my time. I took a bath on the questions regarding inventory and safety, but I'm solid I got everything involving basic arithmetic, filing, and grammar correct. What can I do except my best? The drive home was exhausting though. Traffic up the yin yang.
I got home and ate some food, interspersed with a short session of Destiny and episodes of Boku wa Tomodachi Sukunai Next. It took an agonizing 2 hours to get through my workout, but with the help of Youtube videos, I succeeded. Finally, it was time to dine on tonight's main course: Frankenstein. Don't Look Now was an aged film that gave me a taste of old school. I wanted to go older, and besides, classics such as Frankenstein and Dracula should be part and parcel of any self-proclaimed horror aficionado's film history.
While the movie maintains that theatrical quality I love about old films, I confess that it is quite dated. I recognize that it paved way for the mad scientist trope, but it just wasn't as good as I expected. Since I'm familiar with the source material, I'm disappointed in the alterations, especially the change of the lead's name from Victor to Henry for no reason at all (well, the reason was that Henry sounded "nicer," but that's a lame reason). The movie runs about 70 minutes long, so it felt like an episode from a really old horror anthology show, something along the lines of The Twilight Zone.
Speaking of old horror movies, the oldest one I've ever seen is probably Nosferatu, which has straight up subtitles interposed between scenes. It's funny how, now that I'm older, I can watch old films like nothing. As a kid, they seemed very plodding. In actuality, they're usually briskly paced. Then again, the only old films I watch are classics, so that probably has something to do with it.
/eventlog
I got home and ate some food, interspersed with a short session of Destiny and episodes of Boku wa Tomodachi Sukunai Next. It took an agonizing 2 hours to get through my workout, but with the help of Youtube videos, I succeeded. Finally, it was time to dine on tonight's main course: Frankenstein. Don't Look Now was an aged film that gave me a taste of old school. I wanted to go older, and besides, classics such as Frankenstein and Dracula should be part and parcel of any self-proclaimed horror aficionado's film history.
While the movie maintains that theatrical quality I love about old films, I confess that it is quite dated. I recognize that it paved way for the mad scientist trope, but it just wasn't as good as I expected. Since I'm familiar with the source material, I'm disappointed in the alterations, especially the change of the lead's name from Victor to Henry for no reason at all (well, the reason was that Henry sounded "nicer," but that's a lame reason). The movie runs about 70 minutes long, so it felt like an episode from a really old horror anthology show, something along the lines of The Twilight Zone.
Speaking of old horror movies, the oldest one I've ever seen is probably Nosferatu, which has straight up subtitles interposed between scenes. It's funny how, now that I'm older, I can watch old films like nothing. As a kid, they seemed very plodding. In actuality, they're usually briskly paced. Then again, the only old films I watch are classics, so that probably has something to do with it.
/eventlog
Event Log: 10/9/14 - Don't Scan Me, Bro
I hate being woken up by phone calls, especially when it's an impromptu interview. It's 7:30 in the morning and I'm totally off guard. Of course I'm gonna sound terrible. The lady said she'll call me back, by that's code word for "never gonna call you back."
Word of advice to prospective employers, always set a date through email first. This is elementary grade school stuff. Cold calling carries the risk of the other person not answering. If unresponsiveness is in itself, a sort of filter for them, then it is the worst kind of filtering mechanism I have ever observed. I can't trust an organization that would employ such methods.
I was cranky for the day, but that didn't stop me from catching up with my horror schedule. I watched Don't Look Now, a British-Italian movie collaboration from the 70's. The first thing I noticed was how messy the editing and sound was. The audio was like it was underwater, but considering the theme of the movie, that might be a positive effect.
I looked up the Wikipedia entry to get some more background on the production and got film crit that I wasn't asking for. It did bring up several things I've noticed, such as the similarities to Antichrist, with a grieving couple that had just lost their child.
Another thing of note from the film was a slightly out of place sex scene that was rather explicit for the time. Sorry, but when I see Donald Sutherland, he looks like pure evil to me. I can't buy him as a romantic male counterpart in such scenes. It's too awkward to watch.
Although the entire movie carries a surreal quality thanks to the uncontiguous sequencing, the twist ending legitimately got to me. I haven't held my breath and gasped like that in a while. Everything comes together nicely. Overall, I like it. It gave me similar vibes from The Omen, another classic from that era that came out just three years later. I still can't forget that pane glass decapitation.
Next up on the block was Scanners, perhaps best known for that gif of a guy's head exploding. It actually happens very early in the movie, so I'm glad they got that out of the way. It's like watching a movie and expecting that scene you saw in the trailer to show up. You've seen it so many times, but for once, you want the context that surrounds it.
Scanners is a surprisingly effective blend of sci-fi and thriller. The only thing that drags it down is bad acting. I haven't seen acting this wooden since the Jigsaw puppet. The main lead, Stephen Lack, lives up to his name regarding his acting ability.
The main draw of the film is its special effects, honestly. We live in an age where the death of practical effects is well documented. CG is just more efficient. But when you go back and watch these movies, you can really appreciate the substance. The final confrontation is a great example of why practical effects are the bomb.
They don't even squibs anymore. How sad is that? Just watch any classic from John Woo and see why squibs are amazing.
/eventlog
Word of advice to prospective employers, always set a date through email first. This is elementary grade school stuff. Cold calling carries the risk of the other person not answering. If unresponsiveness is in itself, a sort of filter for them, then it is the worst kind of filtering mechanism I have ever observed. I can't trust an organization that would employ such methods.
I was cranky for the day, but that didn't stop me from catching up with my horror schedule. I watched Don't Look Now, a British-Italian movie collaboration from the 70's. The first thing I noticed was how messy the editing and sound was. The audio was like it was underwater, but considering the theme of the movie, that might be a positive effect.
I looked up the Wikipedia entry to get some more background on the production and got film crit that I wasn't asking for. It did bring up several things I've noticed, such as the similarities to Antichrist, with a grieving couple that had just lost their child.
Another thing of note from the film was a slightly out of place sex scene that was rather explicit for the time. Sorry, but when I see Donald Sutherland, he looks like pure evil to me. I can't buy him as a romantic male counterpart in such scenes. It's too awkward to watch.
Although the entire movie carries a surreal quality thanks to the uncontiguous sequencing, the twist ending legitimately got to me. I haven't held my breath and gasped like that in a while. Everything comes together nicely. Overall, I like it. It gave me similar vibes from The Omen, another classic from that era that came out just three years later. I still can't forget that pane glass decapitation.
Next up on the block was Scanners, perhaps best known for that gif of a guy's head exploding. It actually happens very early in the movie, so I'm glad they got that out of the way. It's like watching a movie and expecting that scene you saw in the trailer to show up. You've seen it so many times, but for once, you want the context that surrounds it.
Scanners is a surprisingly effective blend of sci-fi and thriller. The only thing that drags it down is bad acting. I haven't seen acting this wooden since the Jigsaw puppet. The main lead, Stephen Lack, lives up to his name regarding his acting ability.
The main draw of the film is its special effects, honestly. We live in an age where the death of practical effects is well documented. CG is just more efficient. But when you go back and watch these movies, you can really appreciate the substance. The final confrontation is a great example of why practical effects are the bomb.
They don't even squibs anymore. How sad is that? Just watch any classic from John Woo and see why squibs are amazing.
/eventlog
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Event Log: 10/8/14 - Middle of the Day
I like to save my movies for the night, especially the horror ones, but since I'm a little behind, I watched Return of the Living Dead in broad daylight. It didn't matter since it wasn't scary at all. It was a campy mixture of gore and comedy. The film was notable for introducing the idea of "braiiins."
While it's not the best zombie movie I've seen (that honor goes to the original Dawn of the Dead), it's a strong entry in a saturated subgenre and deserves its cult status. It's full of 80's punk cheese and an eclectic soundtrack. The one thing I didn't expect was a full frontal strip scene in the middle of the movie, and contrary to the laws of zombie taboo, the word "zombie" is actually uttered.
I recall seeing Return of the Living Dead 3 as a kid on the SciFi channel one late night. There was a scene when this murdered man comes back as a zombie, except his head is floating from the spine out of the neck. The image haunted me for a while. Every time I was in the dark, I was afraid he would pop out and attack me. I got my revenge on him in RE4.
I jumped in on a raid since I missed out last week. I got jack squat again. I don't know what Bungie was thinking by making level 30 completely RNG based. It's conceivable that I do a raid every week and never make it to max level. My only hope is when the expansion pack comes out and the level cap may be raised, making 30 no longer an unreachable plateau.
I spent the rest of the night doing various bounties for my three character in Destiny. I never got to watch my second movie. I guess I'm pushing back that double header.
/eventlog
While it's not the best zombie movie I've seen (that honor goes to the original Dawn of the Dead), it's a strong entry in a saturated subgenre and deserves its cult status. It's full of 80's punk cheese and an eclectic soundtrack. The one thing I didn't expect was a full frontal strip scene in the middle of the movie, and contrary to the laws of zombie taboo, the word "zombie" is actually uttered.
I recall seeing Return of the Living Dead 3 as a kid on the SciFi channel one late night. There was a scene when this murdered man comes back as a zombie, except his head is floating from the spine out of the neck. The image haunted me for a while. Every time I was in the dark, I was afraid he would pop out and attack me. I got my revenge on him in RE4.
I jumped in on a raid since I missed out last week. I got jack squat again. I don't know what Bungie was thinking by making level 30 completely RNG based. It's conceivable that I do a raid every week and never make it to max level. My only hope is when the expansion pack comes out and the level cap may be raised, making 30 no longer an unreachable plateau.
I spent the rest of the night doing various bounties for my three character in Destiny. I never got to watch my second movie. I guess I'm pushing back that double header.
/eventlog
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Event Log: 10/7/14 - Part III
Okay, I lied. I went back to Destiny. It's Tuesday, the weekly refresh date, which means I have go and complete the Nightfall and Weekly Heroic missions. My goal was to play enough so that I could avoid playing for the rest of the week, or at least reduce the playtime I need to accomplish my goals for each day. But when I play, time escapes and I ended up playing deep in the night. I didn't even get a chance to watch my seventh horror movie for the month. It's gonna be another double header tomorrow.
There were a couple notable releases today, such as Alien: Isolation and NBA 2K15. The latter is much more interesting for me because of Chris Smoove. I don't know if I'm going to pick it up, but watching Youtube videos has definitely made it easier not to. I'll wait for a Black Friday deal or something. I watched a stream of Alien: Isolation but it didn't seem interesting. It looks really repetitive.
I hit the sack at around three in the morning but I discovered this manga called Dragons Rioting that was really interesting. Kept me up until seven. Funny enough, I woke up around the same time I usually do anyways.
Not a very eventful day, but that's Tuesdays for you. It's nice to take a break and do nothing, although that's what I do everyday.
/eventlog
There were a couple notable releases today, such as Alien: Isolation and NBA 2K15. The latter is much more interesting for me because of Chris Smoove. I don't know if I'm going to pick it up, but watching Youtube videos has definitely made it easier not to. I'll wait for a Black Friday deal or something. I watched a stream of Alien: Isolation but it didn't seem interesting. It looks really repetitive.
I hit the sack at around three in the morning but I discovered this manga called Dragons Rioting that was really interesting. Kept me up until seven. Funny enough, I woke up around the same time I usually do anyways.
Not a very eventful day, but that's Tuesdays for you. It's nice to take a break and do nothing, although that's what I do everyday.
/eventlog
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Event Log: 10/6/14 - Back to Back
Today was one of those days where I lounge on the bed with eyes fixed to the screen of my cell phone. I read up on the entirety of Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai. It's an enjoyable slice of life story about a kid who has no "friends." I watched the first season of the anime some time ago, so I was surprised to learn that there was a second one--Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Next. I had to start it, of course. Now I have two anime series that I'm watching, that and Sword Art Online II. All sequels. I see a theme forming.
I didn't finish either anime despite investing significant time. Since I fell behind in my horror movie schedule, I penciled in two films for tonight. The first is called Triangle. The first half was very moody and mysterious, and the second half feels like they're trying to fit pieces together despite never answering the basic question of "why?" I'd like to say more but I'll refrain.
Horror movies are best served blind. If you've got the time to research it, you might as well watch it. There are people who try to find out everything that's in a movie before they deem it "safe" to watch. That's goes against the spirit of watching horror, but whatever helps them sleep at night.
The second film is another one from Australia called The Loved Ones. I was surprised to learn about its stellar 98% RottenTomatoes rating since I'd rank it in the 70% range myself. I definitely got shades of Carrie, but it's more a dark comedy about the so-called "torture porn" genre. These last two movies are similar to Gone Girl in that the girls in all three are absolutely psychotic. My friend would probably swear off Tinder after watching these, because you'll never know when you could've had something special, but you had to be one cr--
I'll let you finish the rest of that line.
/eventlog
I didn't finish either anime despite investing significant time. Since I fell behind in my horror movie schedule, I penciled in two films for tonight. The first is called Triangle. The first half was very moody and mysterious, and the second half feels like they're trying to fit pieces together despite never answering the basic question of "why?" I'd like to say more but I'll refrain.
Horror movies are best served blind. If you've got the time to research it, you might as well watch it. There are people who try to find out everything that's in a movie before they deem it "safe" to watch. That's goes against the spirit of watching horror, but whatever helps them sleep at night.
The second film is another one from Australia called The Loved Ones. I was surprised to learn about its stellar 98% RottenTomatoes rating since I'd rank it in the 70% range myself. I definitely got shades of Carrie, but it's more a dark comedy about the so-called "torture porn" genre. These last two movies are similar to Gone Girl in that the girls in all three are absolutely psychotic. My friend would probably swear off Tinder after watching these, because you'll never know when you could've had something special, but you had to be one cr--
I'll let you finish the rest of that line.
/eventlog
Monday, October 6, 2014
Event Log: 10/5/14 - Transition Complete
I have fully transitioned into the next phase of my obsessions. I tried to play Destiny and get my dailies in before the night ended, but I ended up turning the game off in disgust. My quest for better gear, which seemed so bright and full of potential at first, has been reduced to a mere glimmer far behind me. I just don't care anymore. I am reminded that gaming is one of many passions I hold in this life. I throw away my gamer hat for a newly minted otaku-branded one.
I couldn't have picked a better time to get back into anime since most of the summer series should be wrapping up around this time, kicking off the avalanche of new fall ones. I finished up the Irregular at Magic High School, which was about a dude that was OP in everything he did. I was worried they might make a concession and give him a moment of weakness but they didn't, and he continued to dominate up until the end credits.
After that ended, I wanted to watch something new and started Sword Art Online II, which has guns instead of swords this time. Since the premise doesn't burn a hole in my skull, I find it much more tolerable than the first season since much of the harem-esque situations are firmly done with.
Today was a good day for football. I tuned in near the end of the Saint's game and watched Brees throw a pick. I turned it off in disgust, but when I noticed the game ended in a tie, I tuned back in and saw the Saints run the ball three straight times for a the game winning touchdown. Thank goodness. The Bengals defense almost lost my fantasy match up with their minus 8 points. Fortunately, my opponent's team was worse. Both the Saints and I barely won our games, but a win's a win.
I was supposed to watch Triangle today as part of my month-long horror marathon, but I ran out of time. I'm gonna have to double up tomorrow.
/eventlog
I couldn't have picked a better time to get back into anime since most of the summer series should be wrapping up around this time, kicking off the avalanche of new fall ones. I finished up the Irregular at Magic High School, which was about a dude that was OP in everything he did. I was worried they might make a concession and give him a moment of weakness but they didn't, and he continued to dominate up until the end credits.
After that ended, I wanted to watch something new and started Sword Art Online II, which has guns instead of swords this time. Since the premise doesn't burn a hole in my skull, I find it much more tolerable than the first season since much of the harem-esque situations are firmly done with.
Today was a good day for football. I tuned in near the end of the Saint's game and watched Brees throw a pick. I turned it off in disgust, but when I noticed the game ended in a tie, I tuned back in and saw the Saints run the ball three straight times for a the game winning touchdown. Thank goodness. The Bengals defense almost lost my fantasy match up with their minus 8 points. Fortunately, my opponent's team was worse. Both the Saints and I barely won our games, but a win's a win.
I was supposed to watch Triangle today as part of my month-long horror marathon, but I ran out of time. I'm gonna have to double up tomorrow.
/eventlog
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Event Log: 10/4/14 - Gone Girls
Things always get crazy when women go missing, either because the girl herself is crazy, or because someone crazyis after them. That's the common theme between the two movies I saw today, Gone Girl and Wolf Creek.
I saw the former with my friend in theaters and it was good. I hope I'll never read anything before it's adapted by Fincher. I regret watching The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo before Fincher got his hands on it, but I consider that one of his rare missteps. It's more of a lateral move than an Infernal Affairs to The Departed transition, where a thriller turns into a full blown crime epic. I don't endorse 1:1 remakes. Adaptation requires finesse and a measure of personal investment.
The most sympathetic character in Gone Girl has got to be Margo, the main character's twin sister. She gets dragged into her brother's mess and it's really a dizzying descent into a mad game of manipulation. You know how when you watch something, it reminds you of something you can quite put your finger on? The entire idea of emotional manipulation is definitely familiar, but I just can't pinpoint the source. Just goes to show what kind stuff I've been watching in the past.
After the movie, we drank some Starbucks and talked about films for an hour. I got home and watched Ninja try to finish the raid on hard mode in Destiny. It took many tries, but they eventually did it. I'm keeping notes for future attempts on hard mode. Where there's a way, there's cheese.
I thought about calling it a night but I had to watch something horrific. I don't want to fall back on my schedule and be forced to watch multiple movies in one day. Better to knock them out one at a time. So tonight's selection was Wolf Creek. I've heard about how this movie makes people never want to visit Australia, but I beg to differ. I've never seen such tranquil landscapes of the Australian outback captured on film before. It's really quite beautiful--if it wasn't for the roaming serial killer.
Watching a horror movie based on any setting will make the viewer wary of that particular place, but I've watched enough to separate anxiety of association from actual danger zones. A common theme throughout the world seems to be a collective fear of the wilderness and those who dwell in it. Why are we so afraid of back country hicks? At least Wolf Creek wasn't a repeat of Eden Lake, which has got to be the most infuriating movie I have ever seen, and makes me predisposed to despise UK's youth.
/eventlog
I saw the former with my friend in theaters and it was good. I hope I'll never read anything before it's adapted by Fincher. I regret watching The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo before Fincher got his hands on it, but I consider that one of his rare missteps. It's more of a lateral move than an Infernal Affairs to The Departed transition, where a thriller turns into a full blown crime epic. I don't endorse 1:1 remakes. Adaptation requires finesse and a measure of personal investment.
The most sympathetic character in Gone Girl has got to be Margo, the main character's twin sister. She gets dragged into her brother's mess and it's really a dizzying descent into a mad game of manipulation. You know how when you watch something, it reminds you of something you can quite put your finger on? The entire idea of emotional manipulation is definitely familiar, but I just can't pinpoint the source. Just goes to show what kind stuff I've been watching in the past.
After the movie, we drank some Starbucks and talked about films for an hour. I got home and watched Ninja try to finish the raid on hard mode in Destiny. It took many tries, but they eventually did it. I'm keeping notes for future attempts on hard mode. Where there's a way, there's cheese.
I thought about calling it a night but I had to watch something horrific. I don't want to fall back on my schedule and be forced to watch multiple movies in one day. Better to knock them out one at a time. So tonight's selection was Wolf Creek. I've heard about how this movie makes people never want to visit Australia, but I beg to differ. I've never seen such tranquil landscapes of the Australian outback captured on film before. It's really quite beautiful--if it wasn't for the roaming serial killer.
Watching a horror movie based on any setting will make the viewer wary of that particular place, but I've watched enough to separate anxiety of association from actual danger zones. A common theme throughout the world seems to be a collective fear of the wilderness and those who dwell in it. Why are we so afraid of back country hicks? At least Wolf Creek wasn't a repeat of Eden Lake, which has got to be the most infuriating movie I have ever seen, and makes me predisposed to despise UK's youth.
/eventlog
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Event Log: 10/3/14 - Meaning of Camp
Was the term "camp" derived from the explosion of cheesy slashers in the late 70's and early 80's? Once you've seen Friday the 13th, you've seen them all.
For my third choice, I picked Sleepaway Camp, which is chock full of 80's cheese. The clothes these dudes wear without shame leave me speechless. I'm talking about bare midriff halter tops. No way any guy can pull that off in this day and age. The cast skews younger than I expected, which somewhat alleviates the bad acting. I can believe in these stilted awkward adolescent exchanges since they're just kids. The adults don't have much of an excuse though, but that's on par for course. The story isn't too gripping, but it's serviceable. I enjoyed it, and for anyone remotely a fan of slasher flicks, it's definite worth the time.
I thought about my next choice and decided it should be foreign. I looked up Korean horror films and inadvertently stumbled on a movie I already watched called "No Mercy." The formula holds true for Korean horror as it does for American slashers--once you've seen one, you've seen them all. Here's the ending for every Korean horror: the main character dies or loses everything they love. That's it. It has reached the point where the bad ending is no longer fresh, but rather stale. Euro horror is actually pretty similar too.
The rest of my day was composed of answering a question on Tumblr, watching Ninja's stream of Destiny, watching various videos from Smoove, Gento, and QJB, and working out.
/eventlog
For my third choice, I picked Sleepaway Camp, which is chock full of 80's cheese. The clothes these dudes wear without shame leave me speechless. I'm talking about bare midriff halter tops. No way any guy can pull that off in this day and age. The cast skews younger than I expected, which somewhat alleviates the bad acting. I can believe in these stilted awkward adolescent exchanges since they're just kids. The adults don't have much of an excuse though, but that's on par for course. The story isn't too gripping, but it's serviceable. I enjoyed it, and for anyone remotely a fan of slasher flicks, it's definite worth the time.
I thought about my next choice and decided it should be foreign. I looked up Korean horror films and inadvertently stumbled on a movie I already watched called "No Mercy." The formula holds true for Korean horror as it does for American slashers--once you've seen one, you've seen them all. Here's the ending for every Korean horror: the main character dies or loses everything they love. That's it. It has reached the point where the bad ending is no longer fresh, but rather stale. Euro horror is actually pretty similar too.
The rest of my day was composed of answering a question on Tumblr, watching Ninja's stream of Destiny, watching various videos from Smoove, Gento, and QJB, and working out.
/eventlog
Friday, October 3, 2014
Event Log: 10/2/14 - The Second Coming
I finished City Hunter. I had four episodes left, which amounted to four hours of content. I've literally had the tab open for the last month. It's good to close them after all this time. Although I cooled off on the show, the conclusion was surprisingly solid. Everything always seems to end in a rush when it comes to Kdramas, but they did a good job given the constraints. I still feel the show went on for too long. Make it 15 or 16 episodes like every other drama.
Finishing the show took a significant amount of time, and since I was in the mood for more, I moved on to my second selection for the month: Antichrist. While the director wouldn't classify his movie as a horror, it's totally a horror. It's not scary, but the movie fits firmly in the genre. It's an art house psychological thriller. It's got some fancy techniques to really wear on the audience's perception--fisheye lens, super slow motion sequences, screen shake, and some really explicit scenes of genital mutilation. The cinematography is very close and never leaves us room to breathe.
I'm not sure how I feel about the movie. I suppose it's worth a watch out of curiosity, but most will probably find it plodding and shocking for no reason. It's one of those movies where you hear stories of people throwing up or fainting in film festivals. I could never understand that. Those people really gotta be faint of heart to be reduced to that level. I don't think any movie has induced that extreme of a reaction from me.
And to cleanse the palate, I watched Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell. I remember a conversation with my friends about funny movies and they talked about one scene in particular that was really funny and I was really curious as to what that scene was. I still don't know, but I will say that the best scene in the movie was Ferrell calling Ditka juice box. That entire exchange was hilarious. Was that the scene or were you talking about something else, huh?!
/eventlog
Finishing the show took a significant amount of time, and since I was in the mood for more, I moved on to my second selection for the month: Antichrist. While the director wouldn't classify his movie as a horror, it's totally a horror. It's not scary, but the movie fits firmly in the genre. It's an art house psychological thriller. It's got some fancy techniques to really wear on the audience's perception--fisheye lens, super slow motion sequences, screen shake, and some really explicit scenes of genital mutilation. The cinematography is very close and never leaves us room to breathe.
I'm not sure how I feel about the movie. I suppose it's worth a watch out of curiosity, but most will probably find it plodding and shocking for no reason. It's one of those movies where you hear stories of people throwing up or fainting in film festivals. I could never understand that. Those people really gotta be faint of heart to be reduced to that level. I don't think any movie has induced that extreme of a reaction from me.
And to cleanse the palate, I watched Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell. I remember a conversation with my friends about funny movies and they talked about one scene in particular that was really funny and I was really curious as to what that scene was. I still don't know, but I will say that the best scene in the movie was Ferrell calling Ditka juice box. That entire exchange was hilarious. Was that the scene or were you talking about something else, huh?!
/eventlog
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Event Log: 10/1/14 - Avalanche
Watching streams is like a nicotine patch for my gaming addiction. I'm getting a watered down version of the experience, but I'm more likely to stop watching then I am to stop playing. They're a good way to weather the release of any game. It prevents the hype from sucking me in. It's not a substitute, but it satiates my curiosity. In Destiny's case, I'm just using it to get off the sauce.
I went back to my workout and discovered the reason why I don't take breaks. Stopping is easy, but continuing is a lot harder than it needs to be. My body was stiff, making it a true struggle to get back on the horse. On the bright side, my left forearm feels better, but it could just be a placebo effect.
It's that time of the year when the terror is on. I plan on watching one horror movie for each day of the month. My first selection? Mama. It's not a good film or scary at all. It's more of an excuse to showcase the Mama ghost, but even then, she looks kind of silly. I've never been keen on horror movies where children are heavily involved. Creepy kids are the one cliche I have low tolerance for.
I don't regret watching it mainly because of Jessica Chastain. The biggest pleasure from these types of movies often go from failed attempts at terror to admiring the actress. In this case, Chastain was portrayed in my ideal setup: short hair, smokey eyes, and casual dress. I wonder if my affinity for horror has more to do with the heroines than the monsters?
I got back on the BF4 train with my friend and I've finally adapted to the patch changes. Actually, it wasn't the patch that was screwing with me, it was Destiny. For some reason, I separated the gunplay of both games into opposing camps when they were actually very similar. I kept trying to burst fire in up close engagements when I really should've been going full auto. I only have to worry about full auto control from a long distance. I kept thinking BF4 is more realistic, so I tried to burst fire even up close, but that only holds true for heavy MG's.
We won the majority of our games. Our last match was a beautiful display of two-man teamwork where we got each other out of jams that would be impossible individually. We survived some crazy scenarios. Our scores at the end? My friend got top place with 40-18 and I got second with 40-20. I haven't had a beast performance like that in a long time.
GG.
/eventlog
I went back to my workout and discovered the reason why I don't take breaks. Stopping is easy, but continuing is a lot harder than it needs to be. My body was stiff, making it a true struggle to get back on the horse. On the bright side, my left forearm feels better, but it could just be a placebo effect.
It's that time of the year when the terror is on. I plan on watching one horror movie for each day of the month. My first selection? Mama. It's not a good film or scary at all. It's more of an excuse to showcase the Mama ghost, but even then, she looks kind of silly. I've never been keen on horror movies where children are heavily involved. Creepy kids are the one cliche I have low tolerance for.
I don't regret watching it mainly because of Jessica Chastain. The biggest pleasure from these types of movies often go from failed attempts at terror to admiring the actress. In this case, Chastain was portrayed in my ideal setup: short hair, smokey eyes, and casual dress. I wonder if my affinity for horror has more to do with the heroines than the monsters?
I got back on the BF4 train with my friend and I've finally adapted to the patch changes. Actually, it wasn't the patch that was screwing with me, it was Destiny. For some reason, I separated the gunplay of both games into opposing camps when they were actually very similar. I kept trying to burst fire in up close engagements when I really should've been going full auto. I only have to worry about full auto control from a long distance. I kept thinking BF4 is more realistic, so I tried to burst fire even up close, but that only holds true for heavy MG's.
We won the majority of our games. Our last match was a beautiful display of two-man teamwork where we got each other out of jams that would be impossible individually. We survived some crazy scenarios. Our scores at the end? My friend got top place with 40-18 and I got second with 40-20. I haven't had a beast performance like that in a long time.
GG.
/eventlog
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Event Log: 9/30/14 - End of Month
The days are going by faster. I'm worried I'll wake up in the evening some day. By the time I'm fully awake, the day is almost over. It's a little disconcerting. Since it's Tuesday, everything refreshes in Destiny, so I tried to get my weekly activities in as early as possible. As I went through the motions, I felt that there was no point in continuing anymore.
On the plus side, I nabbed Metal Gear Solid (PSX) and Ground Zeroes off of PSN during a Konami sale. I've wanted MGS on my Vita for the longest time, and I've also wanted to play Ground Zeroes for awhile. I was waiting to pounce at the right price. Since I had twenty or so odd bucks in my PSN wallet already, it was a good purchase. I should probably look to expand my Vita storage too, but the prices for 64GB are crazy.
NBA 2K15 is coming out soon and it's shaping up very nicely. A lot of news and media has trickled out over the last few days and I'm getting hyped. The 2K team has really improved the presentation and features. I traded in my copy of 2K14 a long time ago so it'll be nice to jump into a more polished version. The great thing is that there's no more VC cheese. That stuff was annoying. Online-only games are a pain to play.
One of the cooler features is face scan so that your created player could have your own face. I've been thinking of picking up the Playstation Eye just so I can be in the game. That'll be cool.
A new patch for BF4 came out and I tried it out with my friend. I think it made my aiming worse--or perhaps it's Destiny making me lazy with its auto aim. I just could not engage face-to-face with anyone. I kept dying instantly. The only weapon I could be effective with was the SRAW, which is a rocket launcher. You do the math. Eventually, I got into the groove by flanking people and making a concerted effort to aim for the head. The game ain't gonna do it for me, so I'll just do it myself.
My thoughts on the patch? It sucks.
/eventlog
On the plus side, I nabbed Metal Gear Solid (PSX) and Ground Zeroes off of PSN during a Konami sale. I've wanted MGS on my Vita for the longest time, and I've also wanted to play Ground Zeroes for awhile. I was waiting to pounce at the right price. Since I had twenty or so odd bucks in my PSN wallet already, it was a good purchase. I should probably look to expand my Vita storage too, but the prices for 64GB are crazy.
NBA 2K15 is coming out soon and it's shaping up very nicely. A lot of news and media has trickled out over the last few days and I'm getting hyped. The 2K team has really improved the presentation and features. I traded in my copy of 2K14 a long time ago so it'll be nice to jump into a more polished version. The great thing is that there's no more VC cheese. That stuff was annoying. Online-only games are a pain to play.
One of the cooler features is face scan so that your created player could have your own face. I've been thinking of picking up the Playstation Eye just so I can be in the game. That'll be cool.
A new patch for BF4 came out and I tried it out with my friend. I think it made my aiming worse--or perhaps it's Destiny making me lazy with its auto aim. I just could not engage face-to-face with anyone. I kept dying instantly. The only weapon I could be effective with was the SRAW, which is a rocket launcher. You do the math. Eventually, I got into the groove by flanking people and making a concerted effort to aim for the head. The game ain't gonna do it for me, so I'll just do it myself.
My thoughts on the patch? It sucks.
/eventlog
Event Log: 9/29/14 - Skipping
In a rare moment of weakness, I skipped out on my workout. I didn't skip everything, but I skipped a lot. My left forearm's been feeling muscle strain. I kept thinking I could work through it but it hasn't gotten any better. Maybe this break would allow me to recover. I tend to ignore such problems when it's better to take a break and let my body take care of things. I haven't taken a break in forever so I'll recuperate in the meantime. As long as I don't make these breaks a habit, I should be fine.
I should really stop turning on my PS4 first thing when I wake up. If I work out earlier, I could go on for the rest of my day guilt free. I've been waking up late too. The day starts for everyone else 5 hours earlier, but I don't open my eyes until the afternoon. Late starts means late nights. I've got a lot of adjusting to do if I want to make it out here.
This whole experience has reaffirmed my love for gaming, and while I won't back down from week-long marathons, I should really keep it to just a week instead of over a month. I can't just game to the point where it completely alters my life. Gotta keep things on the level.
/eventlog
I should really stop turning on my PS4 first thing when I wake up. If I work out earlier, I could go on for the rest of my day guilt free. I've been waking up late too. The day starts for everyone else 5 hours earlier, but I don't open my eyes until the afternoon. Late starts means late nights. I've got a lot of adjusting to do if I want to make it out here.
This whole experience has reaffirmed my love for gaming, and while I won't back down from week-long marathons, I should really keep it to just a week instead of over a month. I can't just game to the point where it completely alters my life. Gotta keep things on the level.
/eventlog
Event Log: 9/28/14 - Reset
Sunday is the start of a new week. Thanks to football, my daily routine gets a slight tweak, and by that, it just means I watch more sports. I'm not a religious guy, but church has been embedded into my consciousness as a sort of breather before the week starts. I get a chance to think about things and evaluate the direction of my life. I like to think about the next thing I'll write but once I get home, I rarely write it. Thoughts get lost like grains of sand through my fingers.
I should take these days more seriously and really commit to the refresh. I tend to go in a straight line from beginning to end. I should wander more often and seek out more avenues. There's always something interesting around the corner but I keep missing it because I don't look. It's all about those modest goals. If I could make Destiny a routine rather than a centerpiece, I might be able to reclaim my life. I feel like an addict that's barely been able to back off the sauce.
I'll just keep hacking it.
/eventlog
I should take these days more seriously and really commit to the refresh. I tend to go in a straight line from beginning to end. I should wander more often and seek out more avenues. There's always something interesting around the corner but I keep missing it because I don't look. It's all about those modest goals. If I could make Destiny a routine rather than a centerpiece, I might be able to reclaim my life. I feel like an addict that's barely been able to back off the sauce.
I'll just keep hacking it.
/eventlog
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