Author: Toren

I 1 the sandbox

I think people who have more than 30 friends listed on Friendster are just being silly. How would you have time to see or even talk to them all? I think they’re thinking of Acquaintancester. Anghold says that Friendster is good and OKCupid sucks, but I say that Friendster sucks and OKCupid is good. I would say about 70-80% of the time I try to use Friendster it gives me a random error or doesn’t do what it’s supposed to or simply doesn’t load at all. For example, I just got an email saying there’s a message on friendster for me from Jeff, when I go to the site, there is nothing there. Same thing with Yvonne’s testimonial earlier today (which was very nice and everyone should go read it, by the way). Even though OKCupid is not as customizable, at least it works 90% of the time. And when it’s not, they tell you. That’s my experience, anyway. The one big thing about OKCupid that I don’t like is that you can’t opt to excize from your “matches” list those people who are currently in a relationship – though I’m told that’s in the works.

When I was invited yesterday by Aili to go see Van Helsing with her and Deanna, nobody had replied to my e-invite to hang out at my place while I drew, so I told her not to count on me showing up but just in case – where will they be sitting. Turned out that Yvonne, Anghold, James, & Ursula took me up on my offer, so we (with Stewie) had a gay old time just sitting around chatting and eating pizza. We watched some The Muppet Show (the one with Steve Martin) and the Rocket Robin Hood episode that aired that night, but I was so caught up in drawing and chatting that I forgot to tape Superfriends. Also we bleached my hair. At some point I’m going to get some hair dye but in the meantime I’m salt & pepper blonde.

I found it both entertaining and satisfying to use the “edit censored words” admin tools on vancouvergamingguild.com to cause all instances of “peeps” to be instantly changed to “people.” It’s true – power corrupts. Yvonne used “deets” in a recent correspondence and I forgot to slug her in the gut when I saw her today. Although interestingly she tried to slug me in the gut.

Here are my new shoes that arrived in the mail yesterday:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4146911292&category=63850&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

I probably won’t have much time for movies this week, since my deadline is on the 10th, but…

Tinsletown Showtimes are for May 7, 2004 to May 13, 2004

Good Bye Lenin! 14A 121 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:45 4:15 7:05 9:50

I’m Not Scared PG 108 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:10 2:35 5:10 7:35 10:10

Main Hoon Na 14A 100 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:05 4:05 8:00

Mayor of the Sunset Strip PG 95 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:35 5:15 9:55

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring 14A 102 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:00 2:30 4:55 7:20 9:40

The Corporation PG 165 mins
Fri-Tue Thu: 12:25 3:55 7:00 10:15
Wed: 12:25 3:55 10:15

The Delicate Art of Parking PG 87 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:50 3:30 5:30 7:50 10:00

The Girl who Married a Ghost 83 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:20 2:20 4:25

The Punisher 18A 124 mins
Fri-Thu: 2:15 5:00 7:45 10:25

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion PG 104 mins
Fri-Thu: 2:50 7:25

While I was watching the recital at UBC, I started daydreaming about putting on a play. Today I was talking to James aboot it and I came up with an idea for a sort of guerrilla theater. Basically, we would write a play – a little on the improvy side but still with definite characters and a storyline. There wouldn’t be any set dressing but there could be props & costumes. The venue would change from week to week and in fact we wouldn’t make arrangements with the venue – we’d just figure out when a venue – like let’s say the Havana Theater or the stage we watched the recital at the UBC Music Hall or whatever – and then announce on our website what time the play starts. There would be no charge to see the play, but if it lasted the full length then we’d take donations. If the manager or the venue asked what the hell was going on, we’d incorporate that into the performance. In fact – the subject of the play could be guerrilla theater, and trying to set it up. It would be like a documentary in play form about the subject of the play. META!! I think it would be fun and if it got shut down – well nobody is out their $10.

Today I played tennis, at UBC I experienced my first piano recital, and I cleaned out the hall closet, discovering some old doublemint gum in a jacket pocket–still good.

News snippets from the past week: US: It was reported that more than $5 billion in antiterrorism money for local governments and agencies has been held up by red tape, and that last year the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control assigned only four employees to work on terrorist cases; in contrast, almost two dozen were investigating violations of the Cuban embargo. Since 1990, the office has opened 93 investigations into terrorist finances and 10,683 relating to Cuba. California banned Diebold’s electronic voting machines, and experts said that the United States is losing its dominance in science and technology. Scientists developed a type of computer made of DNA that they hope could someday diagnose and treat diseases from inside the particular human cells that require treatment. Researchers discovered a molecule, used by some cancer tumors, that prevents cells from dying. Archaeologists found an underground Egyptian maze filled with mummies, and scientists discovered that women tend to marry men who look like their fathers. A Russian museum of erotica announced an exhibit featuring Grigory Rasputin’s penis.

I dreamt that Carina had a house and it was infested with spotted rats the size of June bugs, and I had to carry Kodos home in my arms from her place. I dreamt that Norm and Nathan and I were watching an episode of Bugs Bunny at a video store that was right behind Nathan’s apartment building. I dreamt that Chris Slater wanted to steal a roadside sign of some kind. When a crazy homeless guy started trying to remove it, Chris helped him but when they got it out of its place Chris just took it and started putting it in the car we had. Then the homeless guy waved a gun around as he left and we were awkward. I think that last one stems from the James-Spitting-On-Car incident that happened on the weekend.

Teletoon is showing Rocket Robin Hood every day. That makes me giggle like a school girl.

And now your weekly Tinseltown highlights. Showtimes are for Apr 30, 2004 to May 6, 2004 :
Godsend (2004) PG 102 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:15 2:45 5:10 7:30 9:55

Good Bye Lenin! 14A 121 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:35 4:15 7:05 9:45

Man on Fire 14A 146 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:30 1:00 3:45 4:30 7:10 7:40 10:15

Mayor of the Sunset Strip PG 95 mins
Fri-Thu: 1:10 3:25 5:40 7:55 10:20

The Corporation PG 165 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:25 3:55 7:00 10:10

The Delicate Art of Parking PG
Fri-Thu: 1:05 3:30 5:35 7:50 10:05

The Ladykillers 14A 104 mins
Fri-Thu: 7:20 9:40

The Punisher 18A 124 mins
Fri-Thu: 2:15 5:00 7:15 7:45 10:00 10:30

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion PG 104 mins
Fri-Thu: 12:10 2:40 5:05 7:25 9:50

I usually avoid entries that are just links. Normally that irks me. But I don’t have time for anything of substance right now. However, I think you will really enjoy this:

From: PHIL MAHONEY
Subject: Found
I finally had a chance to check out http://www.foundmagazine.com. Wow. Fascinating, mysterious and hilarious. I love the names that were given to some of the pictures. I just about lost it when I saw “The Molting”:
http://www.foundmagazine.com/photos/themolting.html
Phil

It occurred to me that a very clever title for my last entry should have been “Meme’s the Word.” Too little too late.

I’m still having trouble with “meta”, but I think I am finally beginning to grasp the definition of “meme.” It’s taken a while. When everyone’s blog has those “which Sesame Street character am I?” – that’s a meme.

Here’s another. Unlike the “which pointless inaccurate time-wasting narrow-banded online pop culture personality test am I”, this one I actually like:

Post a memory of me in the comments. It can be anything you want. Then, of course, post this to your journal and see what people remember of you.

Hot in the City Tonight
Tonight!
It has begun. It is starting to get hot in the apartment. Elf needs drapes, badly. I think I may nail up some of the blankets I got from I got from the Chrishold Moving Day Giveaway Extravaganza. Although, on further consideration, those are afghans. Regardless, methinks the fans come out of storage tomorrow. Be warned, gamers, movie-watchers and other visitors, dress lightly and carry a big stick.

Weapons of Minor Destruction
I won this axe on eBay. In hindsight I paid $5 more than it’s worth to me including shipping but on the other hand, it’s a nice looking axe. I’ll be adding this to my collection of medieval weapons that I used for art reference. Recently I got a flail as well. The only real hard part about drawing an axe is the counter-flange on the opposite end of the blade. Drawing an axe like this is much more difficult than drawing a double-headed axe. Either way it’s nice to have an actual metal, life-size prop when working so you can get the reflections juuuuuuust right.

Emails of Interest II: The Spammening

Hey,
I just checked out your site, your illustrations are amazing. I was just wondering if you would mind if i used some of your illustrations as references for 3d-models. I am still a novice when it comes to CG. Most of my attempted work is made for games and are very low on the polygonal scale. My personal website is: http://www.villaingames.com i know its not very functional right now but is is being revamped. You can see some of my past 3d model work on the forums of http://www.darkbasic.com my forum name is wbarrett 26. I would be using your illustrations to make some characters for a game. If i post any work on the forums i will of course place your website as the reference source, and always cite you in the credits of any work. Thank you.
-Billy