I’ve moved back to VT. For the holidays, but also for the foreseeable future. It’s vacation, then working, saving up, and if all goes as planned, film school starting in the Fall. I’ve taken a two-year detour from what was really my dream, and I’m back on track. So that’s good.

Before I left, I got to check out a MAKE IT! fair and was pretty impressed. I’d wanted to go last year in Vancouver but looked up the vendors that had websites and was pretty turned off. This year I just took the plunge and am sure glad I did. From Cocoa Nymph (awesome chocolates) to Thyrza Segal’s Plantscapes to Daughters of Bastards Warrior Wear (awesome chain mail jewelry, no website, sorry) there was plenty of awesome stuff to check out and to gawk at. Catalyst Reaction had some cool leather stuff and I picked up some great Christmas cards from Hug + Kiss Designs.

Other than that, not much else to report. T-day in Seattle with the bro, a week in NYC with an old friend, then getting settled in here, ready for Christmas, watching the last of my funds slip away.

Moved onto Season 2 of Fringe and giving Leverage a second chance. Finished Dexter Season 4 last night. I’m still traumatized. Fantastic show…they don’t pull any punches. Hoping to start in on Supernatural Season 2 soon. Being Human was a no-go for me; the emo vampire dude was waaay over the top annoying, I couldn’t even look at him. Watched Slither and Gremlins recently. Both were awesome. Definitely to-purchase. Great fun. Excited about Chuck’s Season 3 and Burn Notice’s continuation in January too. Workin’ away at my to-watch lists…

I’ve been on a pretty major Star Wars kick lately. Partly nostalgia (I found my first screenplay – a Star Wars fanfilm, almost 70 pages!), partly reading Death Troopers (fun!) and partly finally getting around to watching Star Wars Clone Wars from Cartoon Network. Pretty awesome series, I’m having a blast. You know it’s good when it gets you excited about watching the prequels. Yea. That’s serious.

Listening to lots of industrial and gothic, generally dark stuff lately…Rammstein mostly but Imperative Reaction, Assemblage 23, Zombie Girl a bit, I:Scintilla, Heimataerde, Icon of Coil and Birthday Massacre. Got Nightwish’s Dark Passion Play on in the background right now. Never a baddie :P. Awesome album.

Hope all’s well with everybody reading. And everybody not reading. And no I didn’t get you presents. Have great holidays! :)

Smitten: [link]
Fear: [link]
I’m Me Again and it’s All Because of You: [link]

First up…my new demo reel is online! Finally, I can share the last few week’s (and June’s) work with people. Also, after watching that [link], check out my new portfolio site here.

Also…in other newses….I’ve got a few new poems up at DA (my profile’s linked to from the portfolio site, but I wanted to give ‘em a shout-out on here too). They’re posted below with links to the DA pages.

It’s You

I keep sitting and thinking,
getting lost in daydreams of you.
My heart skips and jumps, clinking,
feels fragile as glass, sticky like glue.

It shudders with fear, closed and cold,
shedding its own tears of self-imposed
solitude, emptiness, will I be alone when I’m old?
But you send me smiles through wires like electric hoses.

I’m showered, bathing in your love,
I’m warm and safe cuddling your heart,
your smiles mystify what I’m afraid of
and glorify Cupid’s fateful dart.

I’m shivering in the grey city tonight,
but your giggle comes across the airwaves,
makes the fire in my heart re-ignite,
and I revel in a chance to see your face.

Link: http://runeshai.deviantart.com/art/Reminders-141881842

Life

I’m filling my head with punk-rock tunes,
ingesting the lyrics like revolution fumes,
talking about progress, changes, unity,
while I’m caught in everyday reality.

Stuck in my thoughts, lost in my head,
one of these days I’m gonna end up dead,
ghost heart and soul, a tired old ghoul,
drenched in depression, a sober old fool.

My life is my choice, as the days come along,
I better start living soon, and stop writing stupid songs.
I keep getting lost in my mind, floating into space,
maybe I’ve got what’s wrong with the human race.

Life won’t wait, they sang,
It’s your choice, songs rang,
but I can’t stop worrying,
I can’t fight off the fear.

Without you I’m lost in myself, aimless,
without them I’m lost in the world, gameless,
I’m tired of fighting, hoping and pretending,
this feels like a trick question that’s never-ending.

So I’ll retreat to my songs of meaningful days,
waste time away in the sun’s faded rays,
I’ll wish upon stars that I figure myself out,
and avoid life until my time trickles out.

Life is like a quest, but without a grail,
a goal I once had, I feel I failed,
but the days keep moving, the sun rises and sets,
so I guess I’ll do the same, and give it my best.

Link: http://runeshai.deviantart.com/art/Life-142037871

I’ve been playing a lot more with rhyming recently in my writing. Mostly inspired by a good friend’s writing, who’s super-talented at applicable rhyming in poetry (as opposed to non-applicable rhyming, which is what I’m good at :P), and read me a new piece recently. I’ve always admired good writing that rhymes, because for me, it takes much more thought and effort to get not only the thoughts into the right words, but to arrange those words lyrically and have them match a pattern, that can be pretty tough. So it’s nice when I get a rhyming piece out there that I still like a day or two after writing it (I almost always allow a ‘cooling period’ after which I re-read my stuff, then decide if it’s worth showing to anybody). Of course, sometimes I’ll throw a rhyme in to fit the mood if not necessarily the feeling I’m trying to convey, to move the piece along and get me into a new rhyme that might afford a better opportunity to express whatever it is I’m trying to express.

Anyway….rambling…I’m content with the pieces above, they’re linked, and my new demo reel’s online (yay!) so check all that out and let me know what you think (of any of it) :P.

*moviegasps*

RROOAARRR!!!!! I’LL KEEL YOU WITH MY POERTY POWERS!! YESS!!!!!

*nomoremoviegasps*

…no? Garrhrhrhrhrumblerumble…fine….then just listen for a sec…

Okie…..ignoring the above, here’s two new(ish) pieces. I say ‘ish’ because only one’s new (written this morning), the other I wrote about a month or more ago but forgot I had and never put it online. Which is odd, because I do like it. So, here goes…

Punk-O-Pocalypse

War paint on my face
stand up, join my race,
fists raised, voices loud,
make our parents proud!

Patches, pins, leather straps,
platform boots, all that’s crap,
hair spiked, eyes right,
come join the fight!

Lookin’ up to the dawn of a new day,
working toward building us all a new way,
climbing up from the age-old trenches,
throw our coats on the corporate fences!

Criticize, it’s more than lies,
keep your faith, love and hate,
compromise, but be wise,
don’t give in, we can win,
stand your ground,
keep your crown,
leave the dust in the past,
make the bright future last,
raise your fists,
bind your wrists,
show the love we’re dreaming of,
make things right and join the fight!

Lookin’ up to the dawn of a new day,
working toward building us all a new way,
massing armies to rival the Pope’s,
who’d have thought? The audacity of hope!

…and for the next, older piece…it’s a bit of a love song with some serious pop-candy-goof orientation. Good fun :D.

It’s You

Why do I hear your voice
when you’re not around?
Why do I see your face
when you’re not to be found?

I’d cast aside my dreams
for you;
I’d kill to make your own
come true.

Passion, love.
Passion, love.
It’s you that I’m dreaming of,
it’s you that I’m dreaming of.

I miss you,
cuz you’re far away,
I miss you,
why couldn’t you stay
after last time?
We had a good time.
But you had to go back to school,
and that was really not cool,
cuz now you’re my little beacon,
and we only really talk on the weekends,
and even that’s not dependable.

Trust me, love.
Trust you, love.
It’s you that I’m dreaming of,
it’s you that I’m dreaming of.

Direction, I got some;
Interest, I got some;
Dreamin’, I got tons;
come on, come on, with me!

But I’d cast my dreams aside
for you;
I’d kill to make your own
come true.
I’d give everything
just to hear your voice
whisper in my ear
‘I love you, I love you too!’

Passion, trusting, dreamin’,
love…
It’s you that I’m dreaming of,
it’s you that I’m dreaming of!

Yup, so them’s the two new poems I’ve got fer ye fer now…I’ll be sure to let ye know iffen’ there be more anytime soon. Got some newsy things in the works right now, but I’ll post when there’s something to show, not yet. Lotsa life stuff goin’ on…probably include some of that then too. Best wishes, thanks for readin’, hope you’re havin’ fun :P.

Also, these are both obviously viewable at my DA gallery page.

Now, I haven’t read the book in years, but I’ll do my best to remember… The plot was different from the book, but it needed to be; there wouldn’t have been enough story or development to adapt it straight from book to screen. So some changes were made. The monsters though were great, just how I remembered them, and Max, while obviously a child actor’s version of Max, was pretty darn close to what I remember from the books. Maybe a little more sad or angry than I’d expected, but then again, changes needed to be made for the film.

When it comes down to it, it wasn’t exactly what I’d expected, but it hit the spot. It’s a mature look at what it means to be a kid, and sure, the emotion’s shared and loved by everyone, but it’s damn good to be reminded every now and then. Basically I went in for a reminder of childhood, of imagination and innocence, and I got teary enough times to be satisfied that the movie was doing its job. I remember sitting in my room playing with Legos for hours and hours, building bigger and bigger castles, ninja fortresses, even a cowboy ghost town at one point. Oh yea… and the pirate ships…oh, did I love my pirates. There was no reason not to play, no reason not to explore and imagine and create things, and I feel that’s something I’ve lost a bit of now, growing up. Things need to be justified, planned, organized. Sometimes I think we all need to take a few steps back, chill, and let the wild rumpus start.

Official release date is November 25, so head out to the theaters then and git yer butt in gear for some fun!

The Eclipse

I haven’t seen a cross between a pretty serious drama and a jumpy horror film before, so in that respect this was cool to watch. Also, horror’s usually a living-room deal for me, so the audience reactions were fun, even if the scares weren’t too serious. Just some jump moments, and I suppose the heavier, slower-paced, serious drama bits and the somewhat-quirky comedic bits made the scary jumps more jumpy. What first drew me to this was hearing Aidan Quinn in the cast list, ‘I haven’t seen him in anything for ages,’ I thought, so I went along for the ride. He, along with the rest of cast (male lead, Ciarán Hinds, and female lead, Iben Hjejle) gave good performances in what’s essentially an entertainment piece that dabbles in emotion and fear, loss, grief and a bit of humor. Another film about life (adding to the day’s previous movies), this ended on a good note, a realistic one I thought, better than the usual romantic fare we get in mainstream cinema. Final word(s): good stuff :D.

Links:

VIFF Listing
IMDB

Been attending VIFF today, saw two films so far and thought I’d share my..thoughts.

The Anchorage

As far as a barebones indie first feature film effort goes, not bad. As far as an engaging, energetic, complex or intriguing film – visually or story-wise – not so much. Given the fact their goal was to make ’something you wouldn’t normally see in Hollywood theaters’, it was alright. They said in a Q&A afterward, responding to a question about the acting we’re used to as being very expressive of emotion all the time, ‘but you don’t always express emotion, do you?’ More interesting than the questions were the answers, their seemingly interested-in-their-art while disinterested-if-you-didn’t-understand-it attitudes made for somewhat amusing back-and-forths between the filmmakers and the audience. There was a time when I’d have enjoyed this more, just not my type of movie really anymore.

Links:

VIFF Listing

Cooking History

This was a bit more my style: European history – specifically war stories – told by military cooks from Germany, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Serbia, Algiers, Croatia and France. It was interesting and sadistically amusing to see the contrast between these jovial cooks and their stories about the brutalities of war and watch their methods of killing and slaughtering animals (yes, multiple times) and preparing meals. A constant awareness is kept, however, of each of these people’s struggles during and after the wars. They’re very human, very worn and experienced, very real. Ultimately a portrait of people in war, food and moving on, it’s entertaining, touching, humorous, honest and pretty solid.

Links:

VIFF Listing
Film Website

There’s another coming up tonight, so I’ll letcha know about that ‘un too at some point. It’s an Irish thriller-romance…so yea, I’m lookin’ forward to it :P.

Rebuilding…commence!

It’s raining.
Surprise, surprise.
I’m acutely unaware
        of a hand to hold,
        another body’s warmth.
Everything I see
        reminds me of her:
        the flower I wish I’d given,
        the grass I want to pad her happy footsteps,
        the forest bench and ocean air I wish I could share
                with her.
But somehow I’m reminded of you.
Yonder bench is overgrown,
        bright pink flowers wrapping their coils
                ’round its faded seat,
        perhaps reminders of its happy memories,
                a guarded relic,
                preserved,
                protected,
        and here I sit enclosed
                trees protect and hide me while I watch,
                        a solemn predator
                        after lonely prey.
Life goes on:
        tiny flies scurry in the breeze,
        grasses wave and dance,
        leaves whisper their endless tunes.
Still… I’m reminded somehow of you.
But I don’t miss you…
        I miss what I gave you…
        wish I could give it again…
        or just have it…
        or see it…
Oh, rebuilding…commence!
It’s raining.
I must walk home.
Maybe I’ll be cleansed.

also viewable @ DA.

Recent events and reminiscing and reflecting on life and the people in (and out of) it, I’ve been fascinated with the role of integrity and the limits or ranges it has in daily life. And the demand it places on people, and the image or attitude it seems to imply, often regardless of its usage. More though, more than anything else, I’m surprised at the difficulty to maintain it to the level I feel the need to, and the trickiness in applying it to everyday life when convention and practicality demand otherwise.

Look at me all high and mighty. Eh… 20 years old afford some reflection. As does any birthday, really. And any other day, in my mind. Anyway.. I read the following caption and sort of let recent thoughts surface a bit.

I will settle down. Have children. Keep copies of Reader’s Digest in the bathroom. Watch golf. Mow the yard. Remain emotionally distant from our kids. Go to church. Wear a polo shirt tucked into khaki shorts. Write checks at the grocery store. Become a vacant shell of a person who’s only joy is meatloaf dinners. Basically I’m ready to mature as person by quietly dying inside.

Regardless of convention, I’m sticking with Faintheart and Katie Melua for my foreseeable future. On the good side though, I’ve got some hope, according to Milla Jovovich: “Nerdy guys are always the cool ones in the end.”

Via The Superficial. And again.