The Land of Do-As-You Please

This Already Sounds Like A Bad Idea

2011-01-25T23:05:00.000-08:00

As a Game Producer, I work with small teams to develop iPhone titles and am currently working on an independent project. Our financier wants to look into hiring an iPhone developer and has even thought about getting an outsourced one.

I came across a company he recommended in India. Then I saw the following statement on their website. In it's entirety:

"PHP Developer ******* - ******'s Offshore Development Center is focused to providing offshore outsourcing software outsourcing offshore software development outsourcing software development offshore outsourcing from India."

"How do they look?"
"Well...um, I don't think we should go with these guys. They don't even proofread their website."
"Why what's wrong with it?"
"Apparently, you didn't read their website either."
"I checked them out, they seemed alright."
"Yeah...no, we're not going to outsource."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't work well with broken record players."

Filmography of 2010

2010-12-15T01:58:00.000-08:00

I LOVE MOVIES! Cinema is an artform and yet can be soley entertainment. The masterful editor of this clip composes his summary of 2010's films with the stroke of the very best of storytelling cinema has to offer. Enjoy!

5 Living Film Directors Whose Visual Style ROCKS!

2010-12-07T00:08:00.000-08:00

5. MICHAEL MANN

4. The Wachowski Siblings

3. DAVID FINCHER

2. Wong Kar-Wai

1. Zhang Yimou

Honorable Mention:

Tarsem Singh

A Childhood Reflection

2010-12-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

I remember in kindergarten I once had a crush on this girl at school. She was having a birthday party and I really wanted to go.

At the end of the day I went to my cubby hole to check to see if I received an invitation like all the other kids.

It was empty. This didn't deter me though, I just stole the invitation from the cubby hole next to me. Looking back on it now, I didn't really think it was stealing, I was way too young to understand that I was robbing another kid of his invite, haha.

Being as young as I was I also didn't realize that just because you have an invitation doesn't mean you're invited. To me I thought the only real "gate" was my mother and if I had an invitation to show her that was all the proof I needed.

My mother is really bad at directions. We got lost on the way and she kept getting frustrated. Eventually, we went back home and she called the home number on the invite. She received the directions and we were on the way.

When, I arrived, this girl I had a crush on was happy to see me and everyone expected me. It was only years later that I would reflect and realize that they could have been weird to me and even despondent considering she had no idea that I would show since she never invited me. I realized it was my mother's phone call that tipped them off that I wanted to come and was well on my way.

Overall it was a nice party little party and that was that. I had a crush on the girl but got over that soon enough. It's just nice to think of the open arms these people gave to an uninvited little boy.

I think that also tipped them off that I had a crush on her. Haha, we saw each other later on in junior high and she teased me about it. Things were so simple then and that's all I have to say about that.

Why You NEED to watch NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

2010-11-29T17:17:00.000-08:00

One of the films on my wish-list this Christmas is Criterion's release of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER on blu-ray. I had the pleasure of watching this film on the big screen at a double feature in Los Angeles's New Beverly theater.

NIGHT OF THE HUNTER is a fantastic noir that really takes the perspective of the children in the picture as they elude the clutches of a sinister monster. This monster is Robert Mitchum in a 'wolf-in-sheep's-clothing' role that only a preacher's garb can bring.

Criterion has posted their own essay that could not better state all the reasons this celluloid is nothing short of art and the very best of film noir.

Read it at their film essay HERE

Critics Pick the Best Films of The Decade

2010-11-29T02:41:00.001-08:00

Adding to my topic of top movies of the decade, I found that Metacritic did an excellent job of compiling a list of what overall the critics found to be the best films of the decade.

The basic top ten are

1. There Will Be Blood
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. Mulholland Drive
4. No Country For Old Men
5. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
6. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
7. Spirited Away
8. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
10. The Dark Knight

I tend to cheap by thinking of the LOTR trilogy as one major film. I feel like they are cohesive enough to do so but I suppose you can break up the trilogy for individual rating. Unlike the The Godfather films, I believe they were intended to always be one major story and had to be broken up for necessity.

For official stats you can view the breakdown via this link HERE

Photography Assignment: Shoot in B&W Only

2010-11-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

Lately, I’ve really warmed up to the idea of shooting film again. However, I remember all too well how difficult it was to work with that medium.

Ultimately, I think it’s only worth it if you’re working with a medium format camera or a high end camera like a Leica.

One photo project that I have been thinking about lately would be to use my point and shoot camera’s custom settings and set the color setting to black and white. The point would be to mimic the use of film with regard to my inability to change the format of the picture’s image settings (aside from contrast and exposure). Also, since I use my point and shoot in low light, it will help me see things in a new light in regard to the nasty grain that appears when I shoot color photos.

I think the duration of this project would last until I fill up the entire digital card that I have, in this case it would be 2GB. So I will not take those photos out and download them into my computer until the card is completely full. This could work out quite well in purposely creating anticipation and excitement similar to how I use to felt when I wanted to develop a roll of film. Say, I felt I shot some pretty cool photos, despite being able to view them on my tiny SD800’s digital screen, I would be excited about the dayI finally fill up my card and am able to download, organize, and share the pictures on my computer.

Let’s see how long this project lasts(how long till I fill my card).

Discussion of Top Ten film of the Decade 2000-2009

2010-11-23T01:36:00.000-08:00

Earlier I posted my list for the top ten films of the decade. I loved the blog post of Rolling Stone's critic Peter Travers' list and what others felt were their top ten films of the last ten years.

I was surprised that Travers and I share 5 films although we ranked them differently. Still, the man has good tastes and I respect his other choices most of which were listed as honorable mentions myself.

Most people can agree that The Dark Knight was something special and Nolan certainly made a mark with Memento.

I like how many people really embrace the masterwork THERE WILL BE BLOOD. I certainly like that film and respect it should it top anyone's list. However, I did not even include it as an honorable mention in my own list because frankly it's taken some time for me to really warm up to that film as I initially did not like it because I never fell in love with the characters, only the actor's amazing performances. Even from an anti-hero standpoint (trust me, I love anti-heroes) I still did not love them. However, the film is an amazing feast for the eyes and worthy of all critical acclaim and respect. 'To each his own' as they say.

You can see that blog post here:

link

Today a Man Named Steve Chan Died

2010-11-21T23:33:00.001-08:00

He was a great man. A cousin of my aunt’s. He always had this jovial way about him like in the end he knew everything would turn out alright.

I wonder if he knew that he would turn out to be a vegetable in his final moments. That he would lie there on a hospital bed for 9 weeks before
he ultimately had this stare on his face that was blank as death. He would not be able to respond to anyone, he would just lie there comatose with his eyes
open staring at the ceiling for hours.

Then, he passed away right before the Thanksgiving holiday.

He left behind three adult children who have moved on in their lives but are going to sorely miss him. The fact that he was only 65 meant that his
family was relatively unprepared for his passing. That fact will make their upcoming holiday season a very sorrowful one.

He always smiled and genuinely was cared about his family and friends. He always talked to me about stocks and investment accounts for retirement.
I wonder if he has a bunch of money saved away that he never got to spend. I wonder if looking back he would still save his money knowing that 2010
would be his final year.

Steve Chan was a great man. He was a kind man. He was a normal man who raised children and maintained his marriage. He did all the things that were
not worthy of accolades in the traditional sense but somehow I think he did all the things that were right in life. We live, we love, and then we pass on.

Steve Chan was a good man. And that’s what makes him so great. God be with you Mr. Chan. Thank you for caring.

TOP TEN MOVIES OF THE DECADE (2000 - 2009)

2010-11-16T23:57:00.000-08:00

“What’s your favorite movie of all time?”

I have yet to break my favorite movies down but am willing to begin my search for my favorite one of all time.

In order to do this I have decided to rank my top 10 films per decade first.

I’m a cinephile, I admit but l'm willing to document my journey here for your amusement. So it begins...

THE TOP 10 FILMS of 2000 - 2009

10. Signs (2002) - * contains spoilers

I hate this film. What a way to start, right? The truth is I really have a love/hate relationship with this film.

It’s a bad relationship we have but it’s because if I were a movie director that came off a hit movie like Shymalan was and given free reign to make any movie this is equivalent to what I would make next. A Twilight Zone-esque film.

I love The Twilight Zone! I just love it. Signs reminds me of a great Twilight Zone episode. It’s very small and takes place in only a few settings with a few characters. The best stuff takes place at night in the dark outside.As the tension and suspense builds it get’s creepier and creepier and the direction is so tight we start to feel claustrophobic.

The damn film starts probing our mind (no pun intended) by asking us questions about our faith and our beliefs and before you know it we’re under attack and it’s freaking terrifying and you still don’t know what these damn things are that are busting down the door! You’re far away out in the middle of nowhere and suddenly it’s just you and your belief or lack of belief in God.

Before you know it, the nightmare subsides. It seems to be all over before you realize it’s these goofy aliens that have shit for brains who don’t know that the whole planet is covered in water which for them acts as a potent acid!! That’s the most absurd and idiotic twist anyone could come up with and Rod Serling would certainly have never let that ending come to pass!

If I could re-edit my copy of Signs to not include the last 5 minutes I certainly would.

However, I select it as one of the best of the past ten years because I love to watch and re-watch it (minus the last 5 min) because it’s a perfect maelstrom of atmosphere, suspense, and mood. It’s like The Grudge (another scary film of this decade) but asks important questions and it’s that very fact that elevates it to a substantial horror film.

I include it on this list because I think it could have been the start of a new era of grade A motion pictures where scary stories are told for adults and contain great writing, acting, and direction. I think this was where Shymalan’s future was headed before his catastrophic decline. The last five minutes are probably the most horrific thing you can see on film, the death of a director’s career.

9. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)

Here’s the deal, you read about Superman and Batman and other comic book heroes and they all face off against
some crazy and weird antagonist called “The Penguin” or “Doomsday” and figure out what their story is. You realize most of the time their background story is two dimensional that goes along the lines of “I’m here to steal millions of dollars EVEN IF billions of people die in the process of my evil plan! (insert maniacal laughter)”.

They all have some special trait that gives them a upper hand in their fight until our superhero discovers their weakness and evens the odds. My point of reminding you of all this is that this movie is by far the first one where are essentially watching the birth of a super-vilian.

It’s a very intriguing story that takes place hundreds of years ago in France where a young baby is born with the greatest nose in the history of mankind. His sense of smell is so acute he is capable of smelling things we never knew had a scent like copper or ivory. He is not a very bright man and as a result he accidentally kills young girls in the process of trying to acquire their scent.

What follows is a shocking and realistic fairy tale where we must watch our anti-hero attempt to create the greatest perfume of all time that has powers beyond what you could ever imagine. This film tells its story with sincerity and is careful not to appear campy nor outlandish.

Perfume makes you believe every step of the way that what you are seeing can really happen and it only dawned on me later that this is precisely the perfect three dimensional super-villain that would prove a challenge for some our our greatest superheroes.

It’s a fantastic tale and something that you have never seen before.

8. Mulholland Dr. (2001)

I saw this film in a very vulnerable state. I had just got out off work in the mall. It was a weekday and the entire place was nearly empty but the movie theater was still open. I had broken up with my high school sweetheart a few months earlier (together for 3 yrs). I was lonely and looking for an emotional hit. I wandered into this showing with only a few people in the theater.

Then, the landscape of nightmares opened up.

The movie has a plot that builds slowly with very weird tangents. It has characters that come out of left field and you have no idea who they are or why they are acting so damn weird.

You think it’s the movie that’s trying to tell you something before you realize it’s too late, you’ve wandered into a dreamscape of hollywood dreams and tragedies that unfold out of sequence and you can’t break the spell. The picture holds you and shows you mysterious images and yet somehow it all kinda makes sense.

It then leaves you shaken and disturbed before credits come up. I exited the darkened theater to a vast empty parking lot containing my car under a small overhead light. I was left to drive home with this film and it has never left me ever since.

My college roommate hates this film. He told me that he showed it to a friend and then tried to explain it to his friend before he was stopped and told, “wait a minute man, ANY movie where you have to sit down and explain it is an absolute failure!”.

I understood his point but think he was talking about a normal movie. He was talking about The Land Before Time and other child fare. He was talking about movies that are entertaining and suppose to hold your hand. Mulholland Dr. is not for your Micky Mouse evening. It’s not suppose to be tight and easy breezy and pat you on the back and tuck you into bed.

It’s a disturbing mystery about the Hollywood dream that is mixed up with visions and nightmares. It absolutely has a story, but it reveals itself only after a few viewing. It only opens itself up to you after you have chosen to embrace it.

This film is an experience and there should be a warning sign on every copy. It’s cinema as an art-form, and this only comes once a decade.

7. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The LOTR films are long and sometimes too long for their own good. I think the LOTR films are not the type of films that contain every scene of brilliance that you can just watch over and over like the epic Godfather movies.

However, I truly believe this is the most epic you can get these days. This is a fantasy epic that just awed me. It created a sweeping journey across a gorgeous and believable landscape and filled it with the most lovable characters.

This epic is just something to behold and the fact that it just starts the trilogy is what gets me going. It doesn’t contain the dozen fake ending that the third one has and has an incredible redemptive moment with Boromir and Aragon.

I loved this one the best out of the entire series and is as close as we’ll come to seeing a “Star Wars’ type trilogy in our lifetime (Star Wars was made before I was born).

6. City of God (2002)

City of God is not just a film. It is a time capsule. It’s a teleportation device. The world’s best transportation device into another world. Stylish, gripping, and completely absorbing. City of God is about things that are happening right now and have been happening for the past few decades in a little town outside Rio de Janeiro.

It true story of a photographer documenting the gang wars that occur in the slums he lives in that is called The City of God just on the outskirts of Rio.

It’s a tough world because it’s all kids killing kids. Believe me, they used real kids and some of the real gang members as they shot in the actual slums these stuff takes place in.

To see a tiny seven year old shoot another six year old in the foot and see him cry from the pain is gut wrenching but it’s common because the drugs and overcrowding make the zone a volatile breeding ground for gangs and civil warfare.

The best thing about it is that it’s so authentic and real you can smell the chicken that’s being cooked in the opening shot’s BBQ. You can taste the humidity in the air and even the foul smells of body order and cigarettes of these dirty kids.

People live here and since you’ll never live there this movie is as close as you can come to it. The editing and direction are filled with so much zest and flair it makes you appreciate how much life is in these streets. These children are attempting to be leaders of their own destiny. Sadly, it seems if you’re born in the City of God, your destiny is already written and you’ll be lucky if it doesn’t expire before you reach eighteen.

5. Children of Men (2006)

Now, we’re talking about cinema as an experience. The deal with movie critics and avid film watchers is that once you’ve seen it all, you’ve seen it all! You realize most stories follow a formula and don’t provide any further innovation than what you already have seen a dozen times.

That’s why I’m drawn to movies that make me uncomfortable. Be forewarned, I’m all for the abrasive films. I like the cinema that terrorizes you or challenges you to change. I love the movies that come out from under your bed at night and taunt you in your dreams.

This film is not enjoyable to watch. It’s gritty, dark, and has a pessimistic world view. It is however, nothing short of an emotional tour-de-force. It contains long tracking shots that have no intention of cutting away to flower fields.

It fully intends to keep your right there in the front line with its characters whether they face an onslaught of rebels or a terrorist explosion just a few few away from you. The movie is gripping and contains some of the best camera work and tracking shots I’ve ever seen. It contains civil war and carnage in all sides of the frame that you just can’t stand that everywhere our characters turn they face another terrible set-back that has claimed one of their lives.

It’s about normal people living in a shit world and trying their best to survive it in the hope that they can bring a new born baby to peace. It’s a symbolic journey that is going on everyday in the world today and just like in the movie, around every corner is another evil-doer seeing to prevent that peace.

It’s about human beings killing each other till the very end and by showing us this world, it asks, “is this what you want for our children?”.

4. Oldboy (2003)

I’m so sorry, I really wish I recommend a movie with a happier story with a happy ending. Instead, here’s another bit of a Twilight Zone feel.

This is a story about a man who wakes up in a hotel room with no memory of how he got there. He cannot escape and is drugged with gas a few times a day so that he can be bathed and cared for. His food is given to him in a tray and he is provided with a TV and a decent sized bed. Other than that, he has no explanation of why he is to remain locked away and doesn’t not know for how long.

Fast forward fifteen years later. He is released in an open field somewhere. He’s pissed off to hell and bent on finding who did this to him.

What happens next is the thing of greek tragedy. Oldboy is the story of revenge and how much we want to eat the heart out of those who wronged us and lose our soul in the process. The acting is raw, visceral, and full of energy. I haven’t seen such a wide display of emotions in a main protagonist in years.

It’s the most shocking and brutal film made in the past decade and contains enough adrenaline to kick your ass when you’re down and think it’s all over. Just when you have it all figured out, you realize life sucks and there’s no easily answers for the sins that you have committed.

I’m being vague because this is an experience and again not for the faint of heart. It’s for people that have read and understand Greek tragedies and know that the very best of dramatics has come from them. This is what cinema is all about.

3. The Dark Knight (2008)

“How about a magic trick?”

Director Christopher Nolan is on his way to become one of the greatest directors since Spielberg and Scorsese.
A masterful director knows exactly how to tug the emotional cord of your audience.

Nolan exemplifies his skill with this film. The Dark Knight contained so many movie moments of emotional tug that by the end of the film I was enthusiastically applauding the film along with the rest of the audience that erupted with joy.

The reason The Dark Knight is so fantastic is because it’s NOT a comic book hero film. It’s a great story that happens to be set in Gotham City and the villain happens to be the Joker and the hero happens to be Batman.

For years, I’ve been reading graphic novels and the very best ones were always realistic and dealing with very mature themes about today’s world but they get to show how things would be if superheroes had to deal with those same problems.

The Dark Knight is a nihilistic film that asks dark questions about peace, justice, and the American way. It had me thinking how easy it would be for our own police force to brutalize prisoners in far away prisons and violate our civil rights in order to catch the bad guy and it does all this without ever mentioning those words. It does this in subconscious way via its themes and subject matter. It is about a hero living in a real world, and the sacrifices we make to ensure the world is safe.

It’s what a superhero movie should have been all along, and this one was the first to have the balls to do it.

2. The Departed (2006)

What? Have you not seen INFERNAL AFFAIRS?! That’s a much better movie than this cheap US remake!

I know, I know. I felt the same way. I too saw the original Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs way before Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio sparred in The Departed. Upon, viewing this film I too was upset at the results and said the original was better to my ignorant friends.

Then, something happened. I started popping this film into my DVD player from time to time. More often, I was watching and re-watching this film than any other film on this list. I was popping it in just to re-watch a certain sparring of dialogue between its pitch perfect ensemble cast before I realized I was re-watching the whole film again.

Suddenly, I realized, this movie was the best damn thing out there since a Tarantino flick. It’s got tons of fantastic dialogue and sparring sessions between its casts. One minute, Alec Baldwin is asking a question, the next minute he’s telling the same man to go fuck himself before he’s received his answer. It’s all very hilarious, entertaining, and full of vulgar gangsters who are distrustful of every man that walks into frame.

The best part about this film is how much it’s embraced Boston. Infernal Affairs takes place in Hong Kong, but feels like it could have taken place in any city. The Departed is all about Boston. Everything from the gold dome of the court house to the thick southie accents. It’s loaded with Boston blood and spills it out on the streets without a flinch. Scorsese keeps the editing and direction really tight so the pacing is fast. By the time you’ve reached the opening titles you don’t even realize that twenty minutes have gone by.

There’s only two female cast members so the testosterone is overflowing before erupting in fountain of Shakespearean violence at the very end. It’s fast, fun, intense, and filled with violence. Scorsese at his best.

1. No Country for Old Men (2007)

I saved the best for last. This film blew my mind. The Dark Knight blew me away because I was far from expecting something I felt that would be worthy of a best picture nomination. This film blew my mind because I did expect something worthy of a best picture nod and was shocked at how good it really was.

Let me tell you what this film is about. It’s like a remake of Halloween, that story of Michael Myers who goes around wearing a blank face mask and kills all those people, yeah this is that story. Except it gives our killer a name and a face and instead of killing babysitters he’s walking around killing normal everyday people in West Texas.

That man is Anton Chigurh and he’s a ruthless killing machine. It depicts him killing and killing and letting nothing standing in his way until he reaches the man he is looking for.

Let me back up a bit, he’s looking for a man who takes a briefcase filled with cash that he finds among some dead bodies. That’s it. That’s his sin. He took the cash and expected to ride into the sunset. That one simple act, which he failed to report to the authorities, is what leads to a valley full of innocent bloodshed and lets loose a killer as frightening as Michael Myers on the good people of Texas.

What makes this film so good is the Coen brother’s direction. This film is filled with so much mood and tension, I could hardly breathe. Every time Chigurh enters the frame I had genuine absolute fear for the characters that shared the same space. I think he pretty much killed everyone that was in the same frame with him. His cool demeanor and cold look is as close to as we will ever get to knowing what it would be like to meet a serial killer.

The Coen’s cast the best supporting characters and make you feel like they are plucked out of west Texas. They are sweet and good natured while Chigurh is the face of death.

That’s probably what resonates with me so much. It’s the story of the Grim Reaper who goes from person to person and it shows us these innocent people’s reactions to meeting the Grim Reaper in the form of Chigurh. Some of them are in denial before accepting their fate. Some of them are abrasive and shove him away. Some of them try to bribe him. Some of them look him dead in the eye and accept their fate outright, even if they need to sit down first to catch their breathe.

It’s about endings that come before you knew they were coming. Things that can’t be helped and what happens when our sins catch up to us.

It’s a metaphor for our lives and asks us how we would respond to the Reaper. How would we face the coming storm? The movie ends as quick as death and leaves us in the cold and dark movie theater, left pondering the dreams of our final protagonist.

There are no easy answers and there is no neat and tight ending. The end for us all is coming, and you had just best be ready before it gets here.

The film won best picture but is even better than that. This is the best film of the decade.

Honorable Mentions/Guilty Pleasures:
25th Hour (2002)
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
The Mist (2007)
Gladiator (2000)
Speed Racer (2008)
Collateral (2004)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Blood Diamond (2006)
Taken (2008)
The Prestige (2006)
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
A History of Violence (2005)
The Passion (2004)
300 (2007)
Kill Bill (2003)
The Hangover (2009)
The Grudge (2004)
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
V for Vendetta (2006)
Road to Perdition (2002)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Sideways (2004)
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Little Children (2006)
Amores perros (2001)
Los Cronocrímenes (2007)
Memento (2000)
El crimen del padre Amaro (2002)
2046 (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
El laberinto del fauno (2006)

Hipstamart Results

2010-09-25T01:49:00.000-07:00

I received my packet of 9 pictures from Hipstamart on Thursday, September 23rd. Shipping was just a few days and fast enough for me.

The packet folds out to show your photos in a neat little frame. It is made of cheap cardboard that also folds out to act as a tabletop frame but overall it's pretty cheap so I couldn't imagine anyone really taking it seriously but it's an option.

The photos are printed on Fuji crystal archive paper which has a matte finish. I found that my photos with borders tended to hold the vintage look much better because I could see the cutting job of the photos with black edges (a little white edge could barely appear). Also, you'd be surprised how much darker your images are so be aware that if the photo looks a little too dark on your monitor it will be worse when printed.

Of the nine prints I ordered I was pleased with all except 2 of them and that is not due to the printing service but instead my disappointment in the darkness level of the photos.

I would absolutely try this service again considering its convenience being tied directly to the iPhone app. After inputting my credit card info, I'm sure the process would be even quicker if I ordered again as it contains your info in the account you make before ordering. I really hope this service is a success because I support photography and creative services like this offered on the iPhone. Cheers!

Excited for the new Hipstamart Photo Processing!

2010-09-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

For those of you unfamiliar with the application, Hipstamatic is a very popular digital camera app that generates a variety of vintage style effects for your photos.

I particulary enjoy how you cannot apply these vintage effects to photos in post production only to photos you have yet to take. This brings us back to the old days of shooting on traditional film cameras where the user would often not know how their picture came out until the photos were processed.

In an effort to generate more revenue, the application maker has successfully created a "Hipstamart" where the user can send their pictures in-app to be processed and mailed to their home.

They have pricing and more info at their site hipstamart.com.

What I am really excited about is the packing they come in. Overall, the whole package is suppose to be a throwback to the old days of developing your photos from a mom and pop shop.

I purchased a stack of nine prints from the new Hipstamatic printing service and here is an idea of the
purchasing process from Hipstamart:

1. First you arrange your photos into "Stacks" which is groupings for your photos to be shared.

2. Once your groupings are completed you send them to the mart where the UI and design are creatively conceived to take you through the process and help make the process very fun!

In the coming week or so, whenever I get my prints I'll be posting my thoughts on the final product. In the meantime, these are some images of the whole purchasing process from my iPhone 3GS. As far as I know, the app is only available on the iPhone App Store but I'm sure there are similar substitutes on other device's app stores.

Same Ole Same Ole

2010-05-18T03:19:00.000-07:00

There was a great Dave Chappelle skit that satirized the treatment of black people by the police. The skit showed how the world would be if white people were arrested in the same way black people were. It starts with the cops throwing a flash bang into a room before bursting through the door causing panic and terror yelling “Shut that f@# - ing dog up!”, before shooting an idle golden retriever point blank in the head. The blood splatters on the good looking white couple in their bed and the moment is just hilarious. Here’s this dog with nothing to do but enjoying his home and before you know it he’s dead because the cops paid his family a visit. Haha, that’s television.

Fast forward years later, just the other day in fact, and you have the same gag this time filmed for a reality TV show and instead of an idle dog you replace it with an idle 7 year old, and instead of getting shot in the face she gets shot in the neck. It’s the cops doing what they do best. And suddenly you realize no one is laughing because it’s not really a skit but the real thing happening and taking place in someone’s home during a reality tv show and the line between fiction and reality has now been crossed because the same skit that portrayed it all is no longer a gag but the real deal and you realize, “Wait! of course, because that’s what the cops do! Of course they’re gonna pop burst down the door and pop some caps!”.

And it’s weird. It’s strange because you don’t know what to think of it. You just remember a skit you saw where something similar happened only you were laughing at the scenario but now it’s not funny at all and really rather sad and the tears swell to your eyes because some little girl sat on the couch bleeding to death from a bullet shot to her neck and all you can do is write about it on this shitty blog that no one reads because no one cares and neither do you because you don’t write often enough about things like this that you read about and affect you. But hey, that’s television.

Tips to Solve the Mystery of Mulholland Drive

2010-04-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

Mulholland Drive is not a story. It is an experience.

Contained within the original DVD release is a card titled "David Lynch's 10 Clues to Unlocking This Thriller". The clues are:

1. Pay particular attention in the beginning of the film: At least two clues are revealed before the credits.
2. Notice appearances of the red lampshade.
3. Can you hear the title of the film that Adam Kesher is auditioning actresses for? Is it mentioned again?
4. An accident is a terrible event — notice the location of the accident.
5. Who gives a key, and why?
6. Notice the robe, the ashtray, the coffee cup.
7. What is felt, realized, and gathered at the Club Silencio?
8. Did talent alone help Camilla?
9. Note the occurrences surrounding the man behind Winkie's.
10. Where is Aunt Ruth?

Kicking the Gaming Habit

2010-03-31T00:23:00.000-07:00

After several weeks of gaming I then going cold turkey, I am happy to report that I have not been playing video games in the past few weeks. My reason for this is mostly due to the fact that I have successfully beaten all the games that I aimed out to complete right after I got laid off from my Associate Producer role at Javaground USA.

Now, I have taken up reading a lot more books lately and have befriended the many local libraries in my area. This has brought me a renewed sense of awakening and allowed me to calculate my future goals for the next five years.

Of the many ways to employ my leisure time, I find that furthering my education would be the most beneficial for me in the long run. I am currently compiling a reading list of the books that I MUST read instead of books I’m simply interested in but will provide me with no further value besides entertainment purposes.

Currently my current leisure priorities are simplified in the following list:

Write more
Read more
Learn more about things that I should know but do not, example learning how to change my tires, etc.
Researching more about my hobbies and passions such as hiking, photography, writing, and film making.

More to follow...

How Old Am I?

2009-12-22T03:39:00.000-08:00

As of 12/22/2009 5:29:12 AM EST
I am 27 years old.
I am 324 months old.
I am 1,412 weeks old.
I am 9,880 days old.
I am 237,125 hours old.
I am 14,227,529 minutes old.
I am 853,651,752 seconds old.

Why I Love GTA IV: Ballad of Gay Tony

2009-12-07T21:27:00.000-08:00

I walked up to the bar and took some shots. Then, after I got wasted I went to the dance floor and danced with this girl for a few minutes.

I started dancing pretty well with her and she got really turned on. Things got hot and heavy and she took me by hand to the restroom.
Inside, I banged the crap out of her and then got her digits.

She left and since I was still in the woman’s restroom, so I beat up some snobbish british girl who said something room. I left her in the floor and then went back to the bar for another shot.

The music really was picking up and was playing great trance. So I thought about going to dance with another girl but instead I couldn’t help myself
and pulled out my handgun and opened fire on the crowd. Everyone went batshit and security immediately stepped in so I opened fire
on those guards. Then, I realized I didn’t want to fight so I ran out with the rest of the crowd that was flooding toward the exits. The
security couldn’t get me in the chaos and the cops were still racing toward the club in the distance.

I ran into the streets to ensure I lost all the cops and then realized that I am now barred from the club.

These details are not exaggerated, they are complete events that require multiple minutes of gameplay from actually drinking and dancing,
to the scenes of violence I unleashed. There may be something disturbing in taking pleasure in such events but in the end it’s just a videogame
and ‘wow’ what a video game it is.

National Writing Month

2009-10-26T01:57:00.000-07:00

This November, like all the other Novembers of previous years is National Write a Novel Month. I am very determined to take part in this session and have now only recently
secured my idea for what my novel will be about. I will not reveal the details about it just yet except to say it is very personal to me and something I very much desire
to write about. I actually can’t wait and am beginning tonight to work out the major plot points. My roadmap is already formed in my head I just have to put up the sign posts.

I hope to hit the 50,000 minimum and then who knows how long it will take me to edit it into a work of art. Regardless, I hope everyone rises up to the challenge if not this
November, then sooner than later and get that story within us all that is ready to be liberated out onto the masses. For me, it is best described as what Michelangelo said about his
masterpiece, Statue of David. He supposedly said, ‘I saw an angel in the block of marble and I just chiseled 'til I set him free.’

Musing and Ramblings of An Insignificant Monday

2009-10-20T01:27:00.000-07:00

Woke up feeling pretty decent today even though I woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and had to change shirts.

My dream last night was about my best friend James and how he was on a plane to Hawaii (which he went to on his honeymoon). He was drinking
wine and got a little drunk. He gets happy and talkative when he’s drunk so he was chatting up this stewardess and then leaned in to kiss her.
She was receptive so he immediately started to finger and fondle her before moving into the bathroom stall. They had a hard time because of the small
space but had sex. I only know this (didnt visualize the sex part) because he told me about it afterward. Worried, i asked him if he came inside of her
and he said yes. That was when I hit him upside the head and told him that he would have a illegitimate child now and that’s not good for his 4 month old marriage.

I went to work. Worked. Lunch.

At lunch I discussed violence in video games with my co-workers and how soon there may be a fine line between what’s just a game and
what may be a moral choice. I would explain more but don’t care to record those thoughts yet in this journal entry.

Kristen accepted my facebook request. That was nice because she’s an old friend from grade school and I just ran into her at Disneyland.
I was just talking about her the other day since I was mentioning to my other best bud Chris about how a friend in grade school pointed her out
as the prime example of having a flat chest only she later became the staple of image of having one of the most well endowed chests in high school.
She certainly got her revenge in that regard. Anyhow, we ran into here coincidentally later that day (yesterday). Weird coincidence but a valid time
to add a facebook friend.

At night, I had my usual meeting with my CEO. We talked about the birds and the bees aka. how we’re going to fuck over investors or how they’re going
to fuck over us if we don’t churn out profits in the next 24 months. The longtime plan is simple, make good games. The execution is really hard, how do
we make good games with shitty development tools.

I have too much bodyfat on my body that I actually think I have an A cup.This means that in the shower I fondle myself and imagine the face of a bright young
girl (not too young so don’t worry). It’s kinda cool to have my own A cup. And writing this just gives me a kick because if you really think I do this then I really
got you under my thumb.

Drove to Barnes & Noble after work even though I shouldn’t be spending money or driving on a restricted license to a bookstore but I couldn’t resist. I had
been planning on picking up more literary inspiration by Bret Easton Ellis, Hemingway, or Boleno. I ended up with 3 books including The Accidental Billionaires
about how these genius douche-bags created the billion dollar website known as Facebook. I read up to 65 pages then jumped to Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis because
I want to finish that book before I read The Informers which I just picked up today by the same author.

I am really happy to be reading and writing a lot more these days. I hate the wasteland that is TV, movies, computerism, and whatever else distractions that don’t
really level up my real world character in the game of life.

Now I’m tired and off to bed ready to celebrate tomorrow because it’s Tuesday and we don’t give a fuck about Tuesday so I’ll be the one guy that does.

A Most Pleasant Rose

2009-09-28T15:04:00.001-07:00

A Most Pleasant Rose
Originally uploaded by MrPuzzled

This darling is growing in our front garden. She smells as good as she
looks :-)

If You Don't Use It, You Will Lose It and Then Some

2009-09-25T12:15:00.001-07:00

Going to the gym is bullshit. Can you imagine what it was like back then many years ago when you had to walk from place to place. When you had to labor and run errands outside your car.
When you had to keep physically moving?

The Egyptian slaves, you think they were working out their six pack? You think they were doing crunches every day?
The truth is, if you could go back in time and tell people that one day people will be running in place on a machine just so they could work their muscles, they would have laughed
and never believed it.

That's what we are now, a race of people that runs in place on a machine. We do this because we don't have an opportunity to move around. If you also went back in time
and told people that we would sit down in a chair in front of a screen for 8 hours a day and from there hook into the world and do work, they would have called that science fiction.

Right now we look at concepts in films (albeit not good ones) like "Gamer", "Surrogates", and "Wall-E" and see ourselves being "jacked in" without the need to move around. We see in stories like The Time Machine by H.G. Wells where the future society vegetates and lets their brain go to waste. Despite these stories being ruled out as science fiction, these are tales that merely exaggerate on the reality that is already taken place today. They are a hyperbole of how things are now.

We do sit and live our life virtually. We don't get outside and walk and talk to people. I've sat on a bus stop for 45 min next to people and we don't say a word. Only when Michael Jackson died, did I have the courage to mention it to people because for that moment I wanted to connect and after which we did. Now, I know some bus routes that have the same routine people get on and they say hi to each other and talk so I'm not going to say this never happens. Still, we're more connected online and disconnected from reality.

I just want to disconnect more. The fact that I'm writing this for an online blog, hehe, how ironic.

This is Tuesday.

2009-09-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

Today’s Events that go something like this:
Woke up late.
Arrived to work late.
Played with iPhone for a half hour.
Deleted my fresh emails.
Checked my personal email.
Closed out a few issues for my project.
Went to lunch.
Came back from lunch, went to the bathroom.
Closed out some more issues.
Talked to a developer about his dumb ideas.
Told him his ideas were dumb.
Convinced him his ideas were dumb.
Went to the bathroom.
Went outside to take a nap.
Played on my iPhone.
Talked to random people.
Closed a few issues.
Talked to people in a online chat room about what turns a man on.
Went home.
Ate dinner.
Slept on the couch while documentary about Hawking was on TV.
Played Rockband 2
Danced to Michael Jackson music.
Showered.
Turned on the computer.
Wrote Today’s Events that go something like this:
Woke up late.
Arrived to work late.
Played with iPhone....

Romantic Longings

2009-09-22T01:03:00.000-07:00

There is no doubting it. I’m a romantic. For years, I have read and been enraptured by the descriptions of tastes and smells by the works of Hemingway and Boleno. I enjoy reading about the drinking of fine whiskey and tequila, the smell of cigar smoke, and the intoxicating beauty of a lovely women.

I enjoy vice in life like any other man who is willing to succumb to the sins of their nature. Lately, every night I have been smoking a clove (banned in US) outside in the cool summer night. The nights use to be warm but we are at the brink of seasonal change. I still walk out there barefooted and let the cold and wet grass touch my feet each time I inhale from my clove. I seduce the thought of a cold drink in my hand, preferably coconut rum.

I remember thinking that I would always feel this way even when I was younger and reading Hemingway for the first time just before my eighth year in grade school. I had never read anything so masculine and yet so filled with emotion and depth.

As I sit at home wondering what could have been of my writing I always realize it is not so much would could have been but would could be. If only, I would absolve myself of all pleasurable comforts that bind me and suck away at my time. If only I would get rid of the suffocating nausea that is distraction in my room. There are many culprits and I am their slave and victim each and every night.

I want to come to my empty desk with a typewriter a drink and a good flavored cigar. Just like it use to be before the TV and internet and the shows, and the streaming movies, and the torrential downpour of advertising and distractions.

One day, I’ll be free of all this. One day that will turn to today. And then I can truly be at peace. Like the man, dreaming of lions.

Things I Want Right Now

2009-07-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

1. To make a game that has the same feeling of awesomeness as this video gives me when I watch it:

2. To drive at night around the coast and LA on a weeknight to some chill tunes ala this video: (Evokes the radness of Michael Mann's Collateral and Heat bundled with meditation and feelings of Edward Hopper's Nighthawks painting:

3. To drink Tequila at the Rooftop Bar at the Standard hotel (downtown LA: http://www.standardhotels.com/los-angeles/restaurants-bars/rooftop-bar/)

4. To go camping under the summer night stars in a near desert oasis.

5. Four - Five star hotel in Vegas.

6. To start working out again.

Notice how the things that I want do not require a consumer product. I am not looking to buy things anymore. I do not want more crap in my life. I am now, more than ever, looking at spending time and money on pure absorbing life experiences.

I want to do these things not now, but like yesterday!

Wish me luck.

Gustave Dore (1832-1883)

2009-07-12T22:35:00.001-07:00

Gustave Dore Art:

http://dore.artpassions.net/<br>