The word of the weekend.

I haven't updated this bad boy on a frequent basis in quite some time, let alone any posts in the first two months of this year.

But enough of that dilly-dallying. This weekend was one of those long weekends (ie. a comic convention weekend). I wasn't really sure what I wanted out of this year's WonderCon. I didn't really feel like going after sketches from artist, or do too much searching for cheap trades or individual floppies to fill out any runs in my collection. (Although, I did pick up some trades.)

But I did notice one thing that made me pause and reflect on something I've been working for: being paid to write. More specifically, paid to write comics. In college, I studied to be a screenwriter, and in the time since I made that decision, I've realized that I'd also like to write comics, novels, and other forms of fiction besides movies or television.

Since the start of this year, I've been interning as writer/editor for an online media company, and it's kinda weird actually being paid to write, and be (modestly) paid for it. With a little more work, I'll actually get a position with them once this internship is over. (I've gotten some great feedback so far.) I've been working at this thing pretty hard so far, but it's also left some of my own writing projects kinda twisting in the wind.

Talking and hanging out with some friends, and what they're doing to get their foot in the door, as well as going to panels and hearing from some creators, and what they have to say about creating comics and how they've been able to succeed.

Originally, I was gonna go with "rededication" (is it even a word?), but in writing all this out, I think what the word of the weekend should really be is CHUTZPAH. It's something I remember that my screenwriting professor mentioned a time or two, and that being a writing means having to have a certain amount of Chutzpah.

Well, I have been working on it, but I guess what this whole entry has been about is that I've gotta throw myself into a higher gear, and work a little harder to maintain and succeed in this internship, get back into and continue on with my own writing projects, as well as shoehorning the "day job."

This shit is about to get heavy.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

The holidays are always a time that gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside... or at least, that's what the feelings they're meant to evoke. It's been a long year for me, personally, and I'm feeling particularly festive/jolly/that warm fuzzy feeling. I'll get to that in a year end recap entry a little later. Til then, I'm "off the grid" for a few days (not that that matters that much, I'm sure. When I'm "on the grid" it's not like I've made that many posts the last few months), so have a Merry Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa or whatever brings about your holiday spirit.

Milk

No one should be surprised at the influx of good movies that should be seen this winter season, because that's usually how it always is. It's prime restate for Oscar contenders. Why do you think Warner Bros. is re-releasing The Dark Knight in January?

As mentioned in my previous entry, I saw Milk on Saturday, yesterday. I lived in San Francisco for two years, and you don't live in the city and can't get choked up by this film if you know this city, regardless of sexual orientation.

Harvey Milk, and what he helped to accomplish is a huge part of San Francisco history, and the Bay Area at large. With what is going on socially in our country right now, this film is especially poignant.

The whole thing about past being prologue couldn't be any truer now than it ever has. California's Prop. 8 in 2008 is an evolution of what California faced when Milk led the charge against Prop. 6 in 1978.

With the issues that the country is going through, as far as socially, economically, and abroad, it is, personally, a little weird, unnerving, and yet an exciting time that we are living in right now. There's always talk about doing something, about changing things, and about hope. And then there comes the time when it's actually happening in front of you, and you are seeing it with your own two eyes.

Gus Van Sant and Sean Penn are at the top of their game here. Van Sant blends some actual newsreel/stock footage from the 70s' into the narrative. It's not a technique that no one hasn't seen before, but when executed well, the result is nothing but gravy. The last time I saw it done was well was George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck a few years back.

As usual, you can always count on Josh Brolin to be good in roles as the antagonist and/or very-layered arc types, and he does it well here again playing Milk's and Mayor George Moscone's eventual killer, San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.

Penn's performance is very warm, and with a lot of heart, and is unmistakably Harvey Milk, and although Prop. 8 may have passed in November, it really is nothing more than a speed bump. Just look at who was elected President in the same election. As Milk stressed constantly, "you gotta give 'em hope." This bio-pic does what other good bio-pics do, it inspires.

What needs to be seen: A few choice reviews.

I was able to catch preview screenings of Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino and David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The protagonist in both films undergo very fascinating experiences through different means, but the themes in both films are similar in ways as well. I won't tell you what they are, because that'd be telling.

Clint Eastwood's Walt Kowalski and Brad Pitt's Benjamin Button reach certain viewpoints of the world, with the main crux of each film is particularly focused on unlocking the untold and mysterious aspects of both protagonists.

Walt Kowalski is such an engaging character. That despite being as old and old-fashioned as he is, his mind and heart are as strong as ever.

Benjamin Button is the kind of character who lives such an extraordinary life that you have to wonder if a person like this actually exists.





Both films are well written, produced, and directed, but it's leads in Eastwood and Pitt that bring an energy and magnetism to their roles that really pushes their respective films over the top. To that end, both films must be seen.

Tomorrow, I plan on seeing Gus Van Sant's Milk. Which is another film with a primary focus on a very magnetic protagonist, except for the fact that it's based on a real-life person. I've been wanting to see this for the longest time, in anticipation, and I don't think it'll disappoint. I'm sure I'll post a write-up on this in the next couple days.










Also, another recommendation to pass along: Phonogram 2: The Singles Club #1. This bad boy came out last week, but haven't had a chance to plug this. If you love music, dig magic, and think comics are cool, then you really need to read this comic book. By all means, you should pick up the first Phonogram series, but you don't necessarily need it to enjoy what's going on in this second series.

I'm Not Voting on November 4th...

Preface: Yes, I realize what's written below is a little cliche or maybe over the top with the gushy, but so what if it is. I felt the need to point it out.

I'm not voting on November 4th because I already have. I had to do my ballot by mail this election because I guess there wasn't enough people registered in my immediate area, or something or other. I forgot what the letter said exactly, and I don't have it with me at the moment. I was a bit disappointed with that aspect. I was actually looking forward to standing in line the morning of election day, but oh well. At least I got to vote, right?

In the primaries when California participated in Super Tuesday, I was able to walk to the polling place, and vote Obama, and for the general election, I of course went with Barack Obama again. Kind of a no-brainer for me; my mind has been made up since January of this year on who I planned on voting for.

One of the things that I like to think that I'm good at is being a good observer, and the way I see things progressing in this country is that we're inching closer to the center of that political spectrum as it is another generation's turn to step up to the plate. It's our individual experiences that shape our view of the world, and we are not always going to agree, but electing Obama as President would be that shift that this country needs right now.



As Colin Powell said in his appearance on Meet The Press, Obama is a "transformational figure" for us. There are so many things that an Obama presidency will represent for us, and I am hopeful that he is elected. I think it important that we elect him, because in the same way that a main character in a story has to make a decision at the end of the second act/beginning of the third act in order to demonstrate how far he or she has come in their journey, we as a country are faced with something similar. Put it this way, we have to change our environment, before the environment forces us to change.

I'm not saying John McCain isn't an electable candidate, because had I been of age in 2000, I would have voted for him. But somewhere in the time between then and now, I just don't see what I thought appealing about McCain. True, I was only 16 years old by the time the 2000 general election rolled around, but maybe that's all the more reason I'm troubled with what I've seen out of the McCain campaign in the run-up to this election.

I realize that there are a lot of things to be unhappy about these days, but like Ferris Bueller said, "Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

So take a moment to think about this election, and I really hope you'll reach the same conclusion about who should win this election, and why Obama needs to be elected. Also, in that same vein, for you Californians, please vote No on Prop. 8.

Be care what you wish for: you might just get it!

So it is indeed going to be the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadephia Phillies in the 2008 World Series.

I swear, Game 2 of the ALCS was absolutely awesome to watch, and so was Game 7. Seeing the Phillies win the NL Pennant was awesome to watch, too. With the World Series starting up tomorrow night, I'm excited to see two completely fresh teams having a chance to win it all.

It's always fun to upend the system, and seeing the Rays and Phillies in this Series tickles me to no end.

But when it comes to taking a side between these two, I'm gonna go with Rays in this one. Like I said before, this Tampa team just reminds me so much of the Oakland Athletics of the early 2000s, except for the tiny fact that the Rays have won at least one playoff series, let alone two. Moreover, reaching the World Series.

As for this year's World Series, I do believe this is at least going to six games, although seven is very likely as well. And in the end, this series is going to Tampa. So we shall see by the end of the month. Go Rays!

October Baseball

I meant to post something a few days before both the NLCS and ALCS opened up. But better late than never.

It would have been nice to have seen the Chicago Cubs at the very least get to the NLCS, but oh well I suppose. The two teams that I really wanted to win in their divisional series match-ups were the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays. If nothing else because I like the make-up of both teams. Particularly, because both the Phillies and the Rays are two teams I haven't seen play for an extended time in the post-season. Although, with this being the first time the Rays have ever made the playoffs, everyone can say that about the Rays. During the Rays' divisional series with the Chicago White Sox, I tweeted that this Rays club reminds me of the Oakland A's of the early 2000s, except for the fact that the Rays won their divisional series... on their first try. It took two two seasons away from the playoffs, and major roster changes for the A's to finally make it to the ALCS for the first time since 1992. There is just a free spirit about the Rays that I identify with.

Now, if the Los Angeles Dodgers end up beating the the Phillies, I can handle that. I like them for the most part. At the very least, compared to the Boston Red Sox, I think I wouldn't mind seeing any of the three remaining ball clubs winning the World Series.

In the Red Sox and Anaheim Angels (they play in Anaheim, that's what they should be called) series, I was kind of torn at first who to root for: Do I root for the my Oakland's chief division rival? Or the Boston Red Sox? (note: I give my computer screen the "evil eye" as I write "Boston Red Sox.") I eventualy went with the lesser of the two evils: the Angels. Right now, the Red Sox as well as some of their fans just need to be taken down a peg or two. I won't say all Red Sox fans because I do have a few friends that are die-hards. They get a pass, but that's about all I can handle.

So in the end, I'm pulling for the Phillies and the Rays to make it to the World Series. And as far as the chances of seeing that match-up actually taking shape?

It's a possibility. The Phillies already beat the Dodgers in Game 1 last night, and the Rays won the American League East, and won their season series with Boston, 10-8. But then again in the post-season, you're only as good as the game you're about to play. Just as the White Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers, and particularly the Angels and Cubs. The latter two who had the most wins in the American and National League in the regular season. In any event, it's October, and despite the A's not in the postseason, I'm excited to be watching.