| AT the CO-puh... CO-puh-ca-BAN-uh Grand Mal Final Atomic R U OK Satsupost |
[May. 14th, 2008|12:55 am] |
-YSO has a synopsis now. It was a pain and a half to write the stupid thing. I was trying to find the right amount of art-fag pretentiousness to infuse in it while not giving too much away. Andrew rofl'd and gave it his approval.
-Monday and Tuesday were initial lighting rehearsals. Both ran hella late so some dances got a lot of time, some got one 5-minute run through and that was IT. At any rate since my week was freed up I stuck around and caught as many routines as I could. I think I've seen a little over half the show, there are like twenty routines, and man this dance concert is going to be off the PRECIPICE. TOO hot. Boy I tell you.
Getting some practice before running out of sunlight
Full twisting back handspring (a good reminder I need to fffin' stretch first)
-I hear that our ghetto gym is on the cusp of being sold! Dang! I stopped going because of rehearsals and to save money but also because it lost its luster having been flooded hardcore and quite frankly being pretty dank and filthy. I'm positive there's mad mold up ins. But after the concert I should go back and get a few more nights in.
Anyway.
( A HUGE flood of hot women, hot dancers, and hot dancing womens. Hot time! Said Bubs. )
-Man I am going to NAIL the fundamental Samba no Pe step this week. Back in Capoeira during Samba de Roda I always did the shit wrong because my Asian-ass was not comprehending the hip swivel at ALL. SCREW that. I am ALL OVER THIS, MAN |
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| Tife and Limes: Birthday Surprises, Narcissism 301 |
[May. 6th, 2008|04:30 pm] |
-Work yesterday was hilarious. Third episode of some new TV show that hasn't aired yet. $12.60 an hour to drive my car slowly around a block about five times with enough waiting in-between takes to amount to a ten hour day. It's a crazy business. Mark Dacascos was a guest star, saw him walking around and smiling to everyone a bunch. The Loudmouth from my job last week was actually there but thankfully in a different group. Got to see him make a fool of himself again in front of the P.A's. I got asked if I wanted to be recalled but I preferred to be rested today because we have our extra Tango rehearsal tonight. Gonna be rad.
-Again, not expecting anything to occur during my birthday often leads to surprises:
My sister gave this to me. The funny thing was that I had seen this thing all over the place the month before in a bunch of different situations. For instance my friend was asking me to buy them so HE could use them, I saw them at Will's house when Steve was over, and on last week's gig the lighting crew had these on set and would take turns using them between setups. Bit of nutty foreshadowing.
The Perfect Pushup gets a thumbs up from me. It's a fun device and one of the few infomercial products (like the Foreman Grill) worth a damn. HOWEVER, if you do NOT like push-ups, this is NOT going to help you like them any better. You'll probably hate doing them even more, particularly if you're not used to gripping a bar. If you're already exercising regularly, it's a handy and lightweight assist to have around. The Perfect Pushup by no means makes push ups easier. It makes them more comfortable for your joints and also slightly more challenging. You still have to do the bulk of the work and you only get out of it what you put into it. Good shit.
I still do the same push-up routine with the Perfect Pushup. I like being able to lower myself further and I've been pushing myself to do an extra set. My body feels aces.
PENT-UP TESTOSTERONE FROM 26 YEARS OF SELF-DEPRECATION ARRRRRGH
Maintaining the hell out of it. Summer will be the new era of the smediumest of shirts! Anyway I promise I'll stop posting these for a while because for a few weeks now they've seriously all looked the same. Not that I mind, it's about bleedin' time I looked like this. Confidence! Muscle tone! Confidence and muscle tone! Serious business!
edit:
[09:04] Internet> I just read Larry's PP post, he pretty much nailed it
[09:05] Internet> I don't understand Larry's metabolism man
[09:05] Internet> Maybe it's just all that clean living
[09:05] cka> it's aeons of chinese genes
[09:05] ObiJay> I know it's freaking sick.
[09:05] ObiJay> and that fucker pounds back pasta like it's going out of style.
[09:05] Internet> Yeah, that's the thing
[09:08] ObiJay> Probably just an asian thing since noodles and rice are the huge staples. Somehow our mutant genes learned how to properly process them.
[09:08] Internet> Yeah seriously
[09:08] Internet> Misa throws back rice all the time and I fucking throw up thinking about it
I am a cipher. Wrapped in a mystery. Smothered in secret sauce. |
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| Tife and Limes: Half-year BS streak, Narcissism 201 B |
[Apr. 24th, 2008|12:02 am] |
YSO Style: Jeanie
-Made this last week since I had a particularly good picture to base it on. I have a few more people who I want to do up in the style once I get inspired enough to take the time. Also, I took all the YSO art and slapped larger versions of them on my DevArt.
-Really cheesed off at people not writing me back. Particularly people who I haven't heard from in an excruciatingly long time. It's been happening a lot lately.
-Still dry on ideas. The writer's block is not leaving. >:|
-Past few days I've been really pissed off. So many 'potentials' and zero definites. This is the worst place to be, particularly after so many months of going out there and getting nothing back to show for it. Holy crap I'm mad! Hopping mad! Not fun or funny!
-It's been about two months since I started the new condensed routine and I'm looking the best I've ever looked. I'm probably not going to gain much more unless I start hitting the protein and/or change my diet but I really don't feel like I need to (you can take my pasta when you pry it from my COLD DEAD HANDS). I'm happy with maintaining this if I soon plateau. My body type would be too difficult to maintain much higher amounts of muscle anyway (I've had a few ectomorph friends who tried to bulk up, what an ordeal to watch), I'd just have to keep feeding it constantly. No thanks.
Hey Gene! Protip: cast shadows
I've never been motivated to spend more than an hour just working out anyway. I've always believed that spending LOTS of time exercising should go towards particular skills because it doesn't take that much time to get fit. You just have to know your body, be smart, committed and persistent. Exercise efficiently, not excessively.
-I bought a cheap-as-free bluetooth headset from buy.com for ten bucks and it works great. I only intend to use it with the PS3 and my phone when I'm driving. It irritates me when people walk around the bookstore with these flashing clusters in their ears talking loudly to themselves. You know, all "Call AMBER... call AMBER!!! this fucking thing... call AMBER!!!"
( I tested it out on Tekken DR with Will on Tuesday, hilarity ensued ) |
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| Tife and Limes: Sinusitis 101, Narcissism 201 |
[Apr. 9th, 2008|11:58 pm] |
-I've been listening to a ton of Al Green lately. You could say I'm feeling down.
-So Sunday night some acute sinusitis bloomed in my skull. At first I was afraid it was a sore throat because my esophagus felt scratchy but when I woke up Monday my nose was plugged and trying to shatter itself from the congestion. Worst sinus congestion I've had in years. It felt like there was a fist INSIDE my head that was pushing out of my nasal cavity. The worst thing about it was the rest of me was perfectly fine. No real headache, just a distracting pain in the front half of my face. Went through a box and a half of kleenex, spent an hour in the shower inhaling steam and flushing salt water through each nostril. Trying to get to sleep Monday night was the worst. When I woke up on Tuesday, my nose was halfway cleared up. The congestion faded in and out so I Vitamin C bombed myself and slept half the day. By evening the congestion was completely gone and today I've just been occasionally blowing my nose. I haven't been sick for over two years and BY GOD I'M-A SHUT YOUR ASS DOWN, SINUSITIS! TWO DAYS IS ALL YOU GET! *Cho Reppa Dan infinite*
-For the winter months I was going to the ghetto gym twice a week and my workouts moved to an every-other-day schedule (Gym Tu & Th, Dance Sat) which amounted to about 2-3 hours a day of mixed cardio and strength. I haven't been to the gym in about a month and during that time went back to daily exercise (Upper body M-W-F, Abs & Core Tu-Th-Sat) with dance/legs Sat & Sun. Each day during the week is only approx. 20 minutes a day. Weekend classes are 2-4 hours of hams & calves.
Doing less lengthy but more concentrated workouts with steady regularity feels a lot better and the results have been more pronounced. I also doubled my ab/core routine because the old one just didn't get me tired anymore. Still no weights, no equipment, no change in diet. Low maintenance = el way to go.
It is patently ridiculous how my right tricep looks like a liver.
I'm not genetically prone to having a six pack (unlike Sam, aka UNDISPUTED HIGH KING AND OVERLORD OF ALL ABS AND THEIR SURROUNDING TERRITORIES). I have to really grind to get definition on the bottom four. If I slow down at all, my stomach will turn into a 2-piece slab. I don't lose any ability but the definition dries up quick. The new core routine is progressing pretty well so I'm going to adjust it a little and keep it up. It's a nice confidence boost to see my abs without flexing so hard I get hemorrhoids. |
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| Tife and Limes: New things new things |
[Mar. 12th, 2008|11:22 pm] |
Gym was a fun time. I arrived earlier than usual, Pablo inexplicably showed up too. It was slow and steady going for a while but things really picked up halfway through. I did a lot of verbal pushing and shoving of The Abs, who I daresay has a tendency to look very self-conscious while training. In the last hour Pablo mentioned he promised himself he'd work on back handsprings, so I made a team effort out of it and we rotated doing three at a time until we hit fifty-one. We should do the routine stuff more often when there aren't as many people, sometimes it's hard though because dudes will just stagnate and not bother to get motivated. Some days you can't blame them, other days they're just being Belgians. Mostly you just need the right people to be there.
The Abs would freeze halfway through a back handspring as if he were doing two movements instead of one motion. I theorized that because his body geometry is completely angular it results in his midsection locking into place like Tetris pieces. Dude's all right angles and vectors. A trapezoid on top of two rectangles and six squares, that's his torso. Once he goes vertical, all those planks clack together and he has to muscle out of the gravity pull. I on the other hand am comprised of rubber and Italian noodles, so I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum.
This technique is sometimes known as "Kicking the shit out of a dude on a ladder followed by the light fixture he's installing"
Progress on a new script remains at a standstill. For some reason my ideas keep on returning to war themes. A huge pile of ideas but I still can't put together one solid outline. It's like being in a forest without a path. I look back on my old projects and I honestly can't remember how I felt when I wrote them. The inspiration is there or it isn't, it's not a mindset I can pull back. Son of a argh.
I actually kind of lost some interest in my usual training. I want to do more new things and delve into new territory, so I'm just straight fiending for rehearsals to start. New social circle, new friends, new experiences, whole swath of uncharted territory. After the last four and a half months of sinking (then sinking some more), I need to be fucking HAPPY for a god-damned change. Son of a bitch. I can't think of much else I can do to start enjoying myself.
edit: On Tuesday I submitted an in-progress rough of YSO to its first film festival, taking place in early May. Yes Gene, that one. Here's hoping. |
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| "And then I'm seeing people get DIGESTED, and I'm like holy crap who is this being marketed to??" |
[Feb. 22nd, 2008|08:50 pm] |
Alpha phase of WP2 complete. Beta stage to follow tonight. Art project took off well, went by surprisingly fast. Gives me some more stuff to cram up on the website during the hiatus. *clenches fists and grinds teeth*
Note: Answers to last entry's movie mememe have been posted, if you particified.
60% success!
( A well-dressed man getting his flip on, producers, projects, weird and confusing times, tough decisions, bad weather, worse socks, Steve Johnson, pizza parties ) |
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| And a school shooting! Jesus, what kind of fucked up day is this |
[Feb. 14th, 2008|11:40 pm] |
Tuesday gym was fun the whole way through. The entire time was basically me running Naomi and Xochi through hoops and going nuts on the floor. I think my Relogio has improved a bit. The weather was much better that day too, very warm through nighttime. Progress in leaps and bounds, hugs and high spirits.
Today was one great hurricane-wind-ridden downward spiral.
Gym kinda sucked. I was pumped up going in there and I did a lot of stuff but nothing I did was at its best. The energy in there was weird. Lots of people but things just didn't pick up at all. My right shoulder was bothering me a little bit, similar to when I was training Capoeira full time back in the day. My left arm got sore for no reason that I am aware of. Quite a few old things I tried I just didn't feel the mechanics of AT ALL. Like the entry had been wiped. I certainly hope it was just one of those crummy off-days.
Blgh. By the time gym wrapped up, my mood was really low and all the negativity was pooling up in my head. Being in the presence of a happy couple for a few hours didn't quite help either. Came back to IRC and found others were also having unpleasant times for various reasons. It's like everything bad that's going on in my life made itself more prominent today in some form or another. All the good that I have is being overshadowed and shoved into the wings like crusty old stage backdrops.
Going on a roll. A hoagie roll. God Dammit.
Since this weekend is all freed up I'm going to hunker down like I did back in 2006 and just CHURN the shit out of my brain. When I hit low periods like this, I rarely get happy unless I really produce a lot of ideas and manifest them in some way. Going to draw my ass off, lay things out, lose track of the hours, make more plans and set out to open more doors on the horizon. At this very moment I'm standing neck deep in water but waiting for the tide to recede by itself will only waste time. I got ideas, I gotta pile 'em all up, seize the day and all that shit. Mutter grumble.
edit: Hell I might as well make that giant bowl of macaroni and cheese. |
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| Tife and Limes: You feel me |
[Feb. 8th, 2008|02:56 pm] |
There's something about the colloquialism "You feel me" which really grates on my nerves, but only when used at the end of every bleedin' sentence.
Accidentally ran into one of the people in my building whom I had never met before but had heard often as he periodically screams at his wife. Dude was a corpulent pasty white guy who immediately unloaded all his problems on me: "And it's like, a nigga just moved in, you feel me, and like it's just a constant battle every day, you feel me, and like she's trying to give me her old dishes and shit, you feel me, like I ain't an 18 year old medical patient who makes three grand a year- no, month, you feel me"
No I don't feel you.
Gym rocked and made up for the farce on Tuesday. It only really got good toward the end though because there was this loud, rail-thin & very aggressive Asian hip-hop dancer who took up a lot of the floor and spent about twenty minutes yelling into her phone: "And it's like naw, you feel me, she can only do like half a routine and I'm like that's bullshit, you feel me, I mean I'm busting flips now and shit, you feel me, and I'm going to rock a fucking audition like how I want to, you feel me, I mean that's all I want and you know I ain't gonna talk no shit about nothin you feel me BUT" (proceeds to talk more shit than I've ever heard in my life)
Man, I REALLY couldn't feel her. Wouldn't ever. Loud angry shit-talking Asian chicks, man. It was great when she finally packed up her cappuccino and left.
Now the fun part about gym was teaching stuff to Naomi and Xochi. Xochi's great because although she can be trepidatious about some things she's not familiar with (i.e. lowering into queda de rins from bananeira or au), she'll try them eventually and really work on the fundamentals. Naomi on the other hand is self-admittedly easily bored and likes to do things once or twice then demand something new. Although that really irritated me before, now I take great glee in throwing more stuff at her than she can comprehend. Xochi and I were pointing out her lack of patience constantly. Still I was surprised at how things that were fundamental to me were uncommon to them, like just starting a combination with esquiva baixa-troca.
First time I saw this move it was by a guy 6'2" who weighed 200 lbs. That was a sight.
I'm getting pretty comfortable with this. I want to combo out of it eventually. |
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| Tife and Limes: GOOOBAMA aw fuck |
[Feb. 6th, 2008|01:58 pm] |
-Funniest crossover segment of a late-night comedy show ever.
-Finally got the flip-flappin' ZG Gallery back up. Went on a productivity bender Tuesday and spent til like 3 a.m. today finishing it up. Still waiting on some pictures from people, hopefully to bolster it now that we've had a nice bunch of professional jobs.
-A ton of people I know are dropping from the flu right now. I got hit the hardest ever by the flu in February 2005 and haven't been sick since. IN YOUR FACE, FLU SEASON *punches and thrashes the air* I WILL SURVIVE
-Gym BLEW. NOBODY came. Alvaro and Naomi were there for like an hour and left early to go to a Capoeira show in Santa Monica. Only one person showed up for the adult class. Belgian was absent, 88 Kilo Man is injured, Farouk is still who knows where. It was so dead that gym closed early at eight, I was the only person doing anything while Coach listened to that old unfunny cunt complain about her mother.
 I've had enough dead-energy days at open gyms to just fucking power through it on sheer stubbornness. Nothing to do about it when the rest of the people don't even try and ultimately bail, freaking chumps. This is why NOTHING GETS DONE. 
edit: Happy Chinese New Year? Tonight? Is that right? Huh. |
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| Tife and Limes: GNNNNGH. |
[Feb. 1st, 2008|03:33 pm] |
-Well the movie got hit with a big delay, nothing I can do about it but wait. After working on it for so long and being so close to completion, I get paranoid and anxious every time something gets in the way. It's like the download bar freezing at 99%. Not to mention my next path in life will depend upon how the movie is received so I'm even more uptight, my very fate hinging on the biggest project I've ever helmed melodrama melodrama. There's no work to be had, times are tough, frustrated doesn't BEGIN to describe it. The next two months are going to feel like a YEAR. Still, if I were in Andrew's situation I would do the same thing so I can't fault him. Big opportunity comes up, gotta jump on it.
Yes yes perhaps all for the best yes right I know right. Gotta muster the strumgth.
-After the above news I signed up for ENGINEERING again in the spring semester. I figured I might as well. Do some more socializing and find different things to focus on before I drive myself CRAZY.
-Gym is dank, dark, and smells pretty bad, but times there have been pretty darn good the past month or two. Been going every Tuesday and Thursday. A lot of the Batuqueiros show up now and they're good company. Batuque pays less attention to acrobatics & floreio and favor a more offensive/defensive game so there's a lot of volta porscima-esque shit I can gleefully drill into them. One skill I think is very important to know, period, is lowering into queda de rins and attaining that balance. Once you have that, you can save yourself out of messing up almost anything- you can go to the ground and right into a role or escape without losing your flow.
Bally well fixed that nonsense. I should wear green more often.
Tuesday was much drilling of the Sam on his side flip and dispensing of critical hip-oriented advice. Thursday I watched old videos and decided to get all my old extremely difficult floor combos back. Phil, Shiggy, Belgian and I went to Quiznos afterward (can you believe they have NEVER BEEN?? What kind of world only has Subway and Togos??). Phil and I were discussing some moves we have never achieved after years of struggle. Mine basically come down to some combos: 1. Mariposa-Gainer Full (sorta want) 2. Relogio-Au Giratoria (probably never) 3. Au Sem Mao-Full Twist (must get). Goals! Goals are good.
Anyway in the middle of getting my Tekken on with the fellas. Report tomorrow. |
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| Tife and Limes: Good weekend for music. Fucking RAIN. |
[Jan. 26th, 2008|02:42 pm] |
ROCK.
RO BOT ROCK.
(cymbal crash)
-Daft Punk: Musique Vol. 1 includes a DVD with every video on it except Aerodynamic (guess they wanted to leave a reason to watch Interstella 5555). Their videos for Human After All, besides Robot Rock, are fucking CREEPY AS HELL. Channeling Cronenberg. *shudder* Anyway. DP's remix of Mothership Reconnection is hot stuff.
-BUDOS BAND. If you're into Afro-Soul, or soul music, or have a goddamn soul, check them out. This stuff is solid substance in audio form. Meaty instrumentals. I burned half the album onto a compilation for the gym. A lot of it is not far from early breakbeats. I also like how the Daptone label has this 60's motif going on with their packaging.
( Weekly gym report, tatsu makis, swiping to the side, etc )
Man is it past 2 already I need to get some lunch |
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| So ruff, so tuff, asleeeeep baby |
[Jan. 18th, 2008|11:55 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | martialarts | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Budos Band - Aynotchesh Yererfu | ] |
I have been completely out of it this week. The aforementioned sleep schedule fuckery I believe is finally fixed, but it got in the way at gym. Tuesday Sam made his much-touted reappearance after a long hiatus. It was kind of slow for the first few hours but we all got a big second wind in the final hour. Alvaro had made it a goal to learn the full-twisting back handspring and I spent a long while explaining it while occasionally grabbing his legs and throwing him in various directions.
A half-asleep version
Despite it twisting in one direction, it feels completely counter-intuitive because after the hand placement your torso stops early and your legs have to unwrap. It's a difficult thing to describe, it's one of those things you have to keep trying and get on video a bunch. Next week when I'm awake for a change during gym I want to try some gainer things after the landing.
I also want to get this back. I realized my problem with it is that I have no horizontal momentum anymore. The rotation part is easy, I just don't have any inertia for my chest to rise up off the ground after my legs touch down. My weight just sits and stops on my hands.
Thursday gym I did a lot of punch fronts, baranis, and no-handed round-offs but basically crashed and burned after that. Only Pablo, Belgian, and Alvaro were there. And it was FREEZING. Had an active first hour but after the uneventful second I decided to dedicate next week to learning something new. Think it was also the last day I was readjusting my schedule so I had that pressure on my head most of the time.
In other news, I could KILL for a pizza right now. Sounds like a plan. |
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| A pained relationship with the standing full |
[Jan. 11th, 2008|12:50 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | martialarts | ] |
| [ | music |
| | The Fixx - One Thing Leads To Another | ] |
It was a very good gym.
The mats are still a little bit spongy and somewhat warped in places, but it was a significant improvement over Tuesday's conditions. Pablo, Belgian, Alvaro, and Phillipibrium with Xochi plus That One Black Guy were there. I seem to have a knack for arriving when Belgian is done training although he did give the cheat 900 drill a couple tries. Later on he completely horrified us by demonstrating how he freak dances at clubs. He also expressed his pained longing to see Sam again. Pablo expressed the same sentiment only vaguely hidden behind brusque insults, some of which I sent in a text. Phillip and I expanded our earlier physical ability & race associations (based on present company, of course) and determined Black = Jumps, Asian = Spins, White = Splits, and Latino = Anger. Covers practically all the bases.
I had ingrained into my head that I would get ONE standing full today. I straight up lost the bastard completely after 2002. Even in 2002 I didn't really do it right. Having a gainer full and not having a two-footed standing full is pretty infuriating. I decided to clinically dismantle it and work on it in pieces, taking it into a half in/half out mentality instead of twisting blind while jumping as high as I could. My failed attempts would have the spin happen immediately with the flip only at the very last second leading to my landing in a ball on the floor. Too fast and too haphazard for me to spot anything until I violently hit the ground. There was no question I had no problem with backflip airtime by itself, same thing with twisting at a sufficient speed, so I just had to fuse the two into a simultaneous motion by breaking it down.
I spent a good chunk of time repeatedly doing a standing half. I noticed in my earlier failures that I would torpedo backwards about three or four feet before crashing. Compacting the jump length while still hitting the prime rotation spot took some feeling out. I knocked down the distance to a reliable two feet before I moved on.
When I tried the full, turns out the shortened distance on the half was all I really needed. Having fixed the initiation of the movement, landing on my feet was almost magical. Big surprise after being so used to ending it by rolling onto my back and muttering expletives. However, like all new things, I have to be careful I don't mess this trick up the next time I do it. Next gym I'm doing more standing half drills first off.
Standing Half
Standing Full
The one thing I know I want to improve on is my alignment when I just pass the midpoint of rotation. The third frame of the full should be vertical or past vertical when viewed from profile (like the fourth frame of the gainer full here, note my torso is in front of my hips by that point). The way it is now, while successful, still means the twist is early and the flip motion is lagging slightly behind instead of both parts happening simultaneously. Also I start it in a layout position, which I find surprising as I'm not trying to, and then tucking it halfway out. Kind of creates a shrinking effect. I want my tuck version and layout versions to be separate.
In your FACE, WINTER! PRODUCTIVITY AND APLOMB-UH |
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| Insomnia and orange soda days with blu-rays and light haze |
[Jan. 9th, 2008|01:06 am] |
-HOME STRETCH. It is some hard and tenacious times. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are bears in the tunnel. WHY ARE THERE BEARS? Fuck!
-Jesus criminy I have been fighting off a sore throat for three days. I've got this annoying itch in the back of my throat but I have kept it from becoming a full blown infection. I will goddamn RETAIN my unsick streak. It's been nearly three(!) years since I was sick. Not being sick? That's SERIOUS BUSINESS. And I am SERIOUS. BUSINESS.
Fwoooooo I bet most people can't even tell what that is
Gym was freezing and damp. We had our big winter rain over the last weekend and the ROOF LEAKED at the gym on Friday. A third of the floor got soaked. The mats and tramps were spongy and the whole place STANK like whoa. There was a noble cleanup effort on Saturday I hear but we could still use some industrial heaters on this ghetto floor. I'm hoping there's not going to be a mold problem. The floor itself could definitely use replacing regardless but I doubt there are enough funds for such an endeavor.
Wet socks and chilly limbs aside, it was a fun time. Belgian, 88 Kilo Man, Frenchie (learned it's spelled Farouk, I was pretty close) and a whole mess of people from Batuque were there. We did our best. There was hefty analysis on corkscrews and twisting things. Brazilibrium claims black people can jump exceedingly well but do not have the Asian man's intrinsic ability to spin as quickly and efficiently. There was a ton of crashing by said negro and a lot of ribbing whenever I or Pacific did anything. Trying to talk me into doing a cheat 720 twist like I don't know what the risks & ramifications are with that trick. We'll talk summer at the soonest with THAT freakout. The majority of the gang got their second wind within the last twenty minutes. It was tough but we overpowered the conditions with positivity and jokes for days. Damp aside, Thursday seems very likely. Hope there's some time to air the place out before then.
( A veritable blu-ray bonanzana. Pirates and Rats and some other crap ) |
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| 2007: The Retrospective Year-In-Review (and a very retro New Year's PLUS bonus unrelated shit) |
[Jan. 1st, 2008|11:55 pm] |
Best Accomplishments of 2007:
-Finished shooting my FIRST FEATURE FILM GASP AUGH HOLY EFF
-Survived many an organizational crisis regarding the above
-Rediscovered interest in dance (tap specifically, plans to branch out later on)
-Maintained my damn chest, exercised even more effectively than in '06
-Holding down a job for a year and a half, an unprecedented personal feat
Music of the Year:
Ozomatli: Live at the Fillmore, Jurassic 5: Quality Control, Galactic: Ruckus
Books of the Year:
Yotsuba&! Vols. 1-5
Games of the Year:
Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection, Call of Duty 4, Virtua Fighter 5, Resistance: Fall of Man, Puzzle Quest, Contra 4
Movies of the Year:
Children of Men (late), The Royal Tenenbaums (SO late), Shaun of the Dead (sense a trend here), Hot Fuzz, Transformers (not a WORD, Oni)
2007 was the year of HARD ASS WORK. The hardest working year I have EVER had. And SELF-MOTIVATED at that! Amazing! Productivity milestones raining like hail. I took last year's FIRST REAL FEELING OF DRIVE to CONQUER AND SUCCEED and followed through on it like Daniel Craig charging through drywall in a chase scene. The biggest fanciest planniest of them all is still 90% done, and it is definitely going to set the tone for 2008 once it hits like the faggy art film that it was ALWAYS MEANT TO BE. TAKING OFF EVEN MORE! HOO-AH (pelvic thrust)
( New Year's getting of togethers, gay eateries on Sunset, former High Schoolers who have barely put on weight, plus some flippy shit I did a few days ago... what fun! ) |
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| Tife and Limes: Plush Burger Action |
[Dec. 1st, 2007|01:38 am] |
Sun is shining, sky is blue, and it's fifty degrees with heavy winds. Ugh.
Today I was completely asleep during class. Only yesterday did I get to the point where I can fall asleep at midnight, but only for about five hours and I'm in a daze until 2. I was out of it all morning and felt like lead weights were jangling in my cerebrospinal fluid. Groggy through all the various tasks and I couldn't concentrate. Not my finest moment. I'm making a XS face just thinking about it.
Also, this old and mildly deranged man has been showing up since about two classes ago and boy is he a piece of work.
[12:28] Esco> and he doesn't really work and just wastes time. says every thought out loud or repeats everything said
[12:29] Esco> and the teacher thinks he's so cute and hilarious and the rest of us have to put up with his bullshit
[12:29] elfbutt_> haha
[12:30] Rad> lol
[12:30] elfbutt_> older woman in class who relates everything to her children is worse
[12:30] Esco> got one of THOSE too
[12:30] elfbutt_> lol
But I will not dwell! I am going to blow their asses away on the final, I tell you (soon as I wake the hell up and get cracking) god my head
Gym Thursday was FREEZING. UGH. Pablo, 88 Kilo Man and I spent half the time drilling Belgian on his punch technique, which was actually really fun. Unfortunately once it got to the floor there wasn't much that we could do. The cold would get to your limbs in a minute. 88 Kilo Man had an ankle injury, Belgian was burned out. Frenchie and I went on a bunch about bullshit required courses in college. There wasn't much we could do other than work the basics and do some maintenance. Fortunately, I did discover that I have that diagonal outside-snap (reverse roundhouse?) kick pretty clean. Pablo does it sharp as hell. I was feeling that along my quads and knee afterward.
Fancy Plans, rough revision 1.3, has been in my hands since Thursday. I spent the majority of Thurs & Friday watching it and taking notes for adjustments. Next step is music, which hopefully I'll have a list for by tomorrow. Funny how it arrived to me though.
"Awesome hey what the fuck is oh okay I huh"
The movie is colorful, weird, and turned out pretty darn good overall. I felt really good after the ending, so at least it wraps up to my satisfaction. I was actually surprised at how well some stuff came together, like the crazy multi-person shit we only had time to shoot in a day. There's some chopping and splicing to be done. It's 77 minutes right now, after editing it would be give or take 3 minutes I think. HOME STRETCH. I also have a new related art project that came to mind the other day that'll keep me busy for a week or so.
( Friday Fight Club: Gloves, Throws, Tea, Whole Foods ) |
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| Tife and Limes: Work it on out, IX |
[Nov. 21st, 2007|09:24 pm] |
-Going home tomorrow way freaking early in the a.m. I am definitely not getting much/any sleep. It is going to be freezing as hell up there, like SIXTY. FORTY AT NIGHT. HOLY CRAP HOW WILL I LIVE. Packing thermals and what not. Talk about conclusively ruined by the heat. Back on the weekend sometime.
Gym was the best. TORE EET UP. Now I know what my front tuck looks like. I'm getting very good height, surprised myself even. My head is turned slightly, which I don't even feel, so it's on a slight lean. Never did like going straight over. Still, I'm happy that it has become what it is in a relative short amount of repeated drilling. I still have no grasp of controlling the height or landing, it's just a natural opening-up kind of thing. Learning the front punch has helped on other things like the sideflip. Progress is what.
My standing full still looks like shit. Like a jagged bundle of metal rods got thrown up into the air and crumple before hitting the ground. I'm going to pick apart the gainer full and see if I can apply that to a two-foot jump. IT CAN BE DONE. Dammit.
Trying to teach somebody when they're a combination of impatience & garrulousness can be a test. "What do you mean 'what's the next thing?' You don't even have THIS thing half-decent yet." Also being self-conscious is an annoying-as-hell crutch that just gets in the way. Naomi would love it if I were more of the indulging/delicate type of instructor. Her friend Xochi (I think) on the other hand- she just does it. If she can't, she drills the step before. That's a good work ethic right there. Build, build, BUILD.
If you have excuses, either find an alternate route or change your priorities. Don't waste my time or your own. There's no TIME to ARGUE about TIME. We DON'T. HAVE. the TIME. GET TA WORK!
Grab-throttle-yell, grab-throttle-yell. Slaps on the back.
You're trying to learn something and you fuck it up, you shouldn't give a fuck whether or not people are looking. You're learning something new. Keep working. It's more embarrassing to cave in and leave the floor.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. I'm saying. |
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| Tife and Limes: I WANT BACON |
[Nov. 17th, 2007|07:07 pm] |
Nerts. I have to wait two weeks til next class due to Thanksgiving weekend. Two remaining classes until the final, which I'm looking forward to. Still averaging ten people a class with one or two missing each time. All the beginners have fortunately reached a similar skill level so there's far less waffling. I have been far more outspoken against the pervasive & constant lack of confidence amongst the majority. If you want it, but you're not getting it, don't repeatedly deny the opportunity of TRYING. In a room full of support and all. I'm overcompensating enough with volume as it is, but I'm also pretty close to straight throttling people.
"I don't get it" is fine in the beginning, then you WORK. "I can't/won't get it" is straight up bullshit that I no longer have patience for after bleedin' ten classes. Shit. Repetition minus application = waste of time. Boy was I yelling a bunch.
Our teach is nonetheless very pleased with our overall progress and enthusiasm (in your FACE, College of the Canyons). Today she insisted we all stay together after the semester and do (engineering projects) on the side until Spring semester in February.
I had briefly mentioned that I was laid off and was thoroughly pummeled with job suggestions for ten minutes. "Construction in Burbank? I've got a friend..." "No." "Bartending!" "Nope." "How about Starbucks?" "Are you kidding me??" "Nude modeling!" "..." Well if it wasn't for these knobby knees...
(ZZZ)
MAN that was the best nap I have had in EONS.
-Gym on Tuesday was ultra-productive. I was in the city getting some biz done anyhoo so I was there at friggin' four. Once Pablo, Belgian, Frenchie, 88 Kilo Man and Triple A showed up, it was on like Cranky Kong. Three hours of the hotness. Everything plus the kitchen sink. The GOD-DAMNED standing full continues to completely elude my grasp. I have more than enough hops but it has to be something with how I initiate the turn. Still whooshing on it and landing on my side. I drilled front tucks until my left quadriceps went, "SCREW YOU, TAXPAYER!" and I couldn't punch anymore. I did ground combinations the remainder of the night. The next day my left quads were so raw that I had to skip Thursday and rest.
Tues/Thurs/Sats are the times to savor. Filling the time in-between is difícil.
To do'ZUH: 900~combo, standing full, more fronts, aerial~full. Also, EXERCISE MORE. YEAH I SAID MORE. |
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| Tife and Limes: Nowhere to go but up |
[Nov. 8th, 2007|11:55 pm] |
Well, a day after the initial wavering uncertainty of being "let go" (smh) then taking time to go over my plans/options and tearing some floor up at the gym, I am feeling TEN FLAVORS of OPTIMISTIC. Mad moreso than the last entry, even. Now I see all the things I'm glad to be rid of in the old routine and the various paths I can take from here.
Again, I have NEVER had a job for a year and a half. It used to be an unfathomable thing. I see it as a completely necessary and extremely productive period in my life. Moving on and away from it now is just as well, earlier or not. I did some great things in that time and it was all a booster for even greater things to happen soon.
Workout endorphins help a lot! I am REVELLING in what I am capable of. Badical.
edit: Did I mention I'm getting better with age? Because that's my mindset, that's what I'm doing, and you should too. Get with it.
Gym is officially COLD. UGH. Stand around any longer than a minute and your legs get cold. When on a roll, the barrier of cold air just outside your body heat is always prevalent. Not that many people came either. Regardless, Pablo and I held down the fort and did our best. Abs, Belgian and 88 Kilo Man were sadly absent.
Early on Pablo cornered me into one round of grappling and I DIDN'T DIE! WHOO! I successfully escaped a rear naked choke, a neck crank/crossface and a last ditch attempt at an armbar. I know I definitely don't have the skills to try submitting Pablo at his level, so I just did defense the whole time. Stayed calm, kept my head tucked and didn't tap. He almost had me with the neck crank. Being relaxed and not panicking are the most important things to apply in a situation like that. Thank goodness he doesn't do that scraping-the-Adam's-Apple shit that Andrew does. I am totally not making this a regular thing though, I was smelling like a pale Guatemalan all damn night afterward.
Funny thing. Just coincidentally (or maybe not) Pablo and I are always coming to gym in opposite colors. He has been all-white for some time and I have been all-black. It's like the forces of Good and Evil in the same room every Thursday, Good prefers front tucks and jumping roundhouses while Evil prefers back tucks and hooks.
My legs are two miles long. |
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| Tife and Limes: Protip - Hold d/b, d/f, d/b, u/f+RH |
[Oct. 31st, 2007|07:26 pm] |
-No Hallowistmas shenanigans tonight. I probably wouldn't have gone out anyway. My apathy for this occasion increases more and more every year. It should just be renamed "Get Mad Slutty" Day. Everyone bust out the halters and thongs. Also, have you seen kids' costumes these days? WRONG WRONG WRONG HOLY GOD WRONG!
-Also I have to stay in and finish this verdammt drawing I FINALLY finished pencilling last weekend. It's my mom's birthday tomorrow and I have to ship it out this week, by thunder.
-Gym's cancelled from the 1st to the 7th so I went Tuesday instead. Lucky for me there was a big ass truck/trailer/crane crash that day and it took 105 minutes to get there. Good thing I looooove that place so much.
( Gymming up the gym like it owes me bagels )
-Man. Whatever happened to all the feel-good soul groups?
-I am going to grill up a pound of chicken, get my fettucine on, put on this here Lewis Black on Broadway and get to inking. Ha-cha! |
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