Damn I am a sexy pirate.

redcrossknight @ 2009-02-06T17:22:00

2009-02-06T22:23:28Z

Oh, Christian Bale, I can love you again!

redcrossknight @ 2009-02-04T18:14:00

2009-02-04T23:14:55Z

Just wanted to say that I love you guys, and I thank God I have you all for friends.

redcrossknight @ 2009-01-10T15:22:00

2009-01-10T20:41:15Z

MAH ICONS.

default	oldest	newest


saddest	happiest	angriest


cutest	sexiest	funniest


fave ship	fave fandom	fave animated


best quote	best textless	best stolen idea


use the most	favorite

HOW MANY ICONS DO YOU HAVE: 15
OUT OF HOW MANY AVAILABLE ICONS SPACES: 15
IF YOU COULD BUY SPACE FOR MORE, WOULD YOU: Nah, it's not that serious.
DO YOUR ICONS MAKE A STATEMENT: That I'm a neeeeeeeeeeeeerd?
WHAT FANDOM DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: Batman/Comics.
AND THE SECOND MOST: Anime.
WHAT SHIP DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: I don't have any icons of ships. Does not compute.
ARE YOUR ICONS MADE MOSTLY BY OTHER PEOPLE: Mostly, yes.
DO YOU MAKE ICONS: Some of them.
ARE THEY ANY GOOD: Well, I like them, obviously.
ANIMATED ICONS ARE: Great when kept to a few frames.

DO THE MEME.
Coding can be found here

I haven't been raped by hillbillies. So far.

2008-12-31T06:08:14Z

At the cabin now, which does, in fact, have internet, so I may be available for chat or video shit tomorrow evening if you're at Kristie's party.

Also, I don't see what the fucking big deal is about driving someplace you've never been before in the dark. Everyone questioned my judgment about driving up here tonight instead of tomorrow, even though I knew I'd be totally fine, and I was. I love driving at night, so that didn't worry me one bit. And mountains? Psh. I've played enough "GTA," "Burnout," and "Gran Turismo" to understand car physics well enough to know not to race around corners and stuff. I was in 2nd or 3rd gear most of the way on the mountains, never going above 40, and I had a blast.

These mountains are beautiful, even at night, and I'm super excited to be here. I'll take pictures for you guys.

It's also pretty damn cold up here. It's fantastic. Really makes me want to own a cabin in the mountain someday.

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-29T17:31:00

2008-12-29T22:32:11Z

Well, looks like I'll be in the Dahlonega mountains for New Years.

I should be in Athens sometime New Years Day, though.

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-29T00:19:00

2008-12-29T05:24:44Z

Almost every year, my family has gone up to north Georgia in order to celebrate New Years with my Dad's cousin in a massive party. I absolutely love them to death, and they're my favorite people in the world. Unfortunately, though, I only get to see them once a year.

Last year, we didn't meet up, because of whatever reason where there wouldn't be enough room for us to stay with them or something. Because I was afraid of the same thing happening this year, since my Dad is terrible at communicating plans on a good day, I decided to call up two of my cousins, Darryl and Stacy, two of the greatest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I made plans with them to meet and have dinner at Atlantic Station.

We met, and after discovering that a few of the restaurants were closed, because it's Sunday and Georgia fucking sucks, we went to a little restaurant called Sotto Sotto, which was some of the best Italian food I've ever had. And to top it off, Darryl and Stacy surprised me by covering the bill as an (extremely) belated graduation present.

So I had some fantastic food, some good wine (still sorta buzzed), and got to spend time with my favorite people, who told me that I may be invited to the New Years thing this year. Unfortunately, the plans are still sort of nebulous to me, so all I can say is I'll either be in Athens or the mountains for New Years. I just don't know which at the moment.

I also got a haircut today, which, the more that I look at it, the more I like it. I'll have to figure out how to use "product" to keep it looking nice, but I'm ok with that at this point.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T19:38:16Z

This is only some of the 'nog's fault.

2008-12-25T05:54:19Z

I love you all, and I wish you all the Merriest of Christmases.

Really. I wish I could share a bottle of 'nog with you all, and perhaps open-mouth-but-no-tongue-kiss you each.

...

...Ok, that last part was definitely the 'nog.

Merry Christmas!

Quick update before work.

2008-12-22T22:45:38Z

The time before last that I was in Athens, for Cathie's exit show, we went out to dinner at Doc Chey's, where I had a bit of sake with my dinner.

Later that night, we played "Rock Band" at Chris and Nicole's apartment, with myself on drums. Now, I'm decent at the drums on Hard. My only real problems are drum rolls, and the bass pedal. I don't always hit it on the beat, and where there are multiple pedal kicks, I tend to fuck up.

Until that night. While I was drunk on sake, something clicked. I was making most, if not all of the pedal kicks on songs I had screwed up before, regardless of the frequency of the kicks. (Granted, I had trouble holding onto the drum sticks, and they'd go flying out of my hands mid-song, but that's irrelevant. IRRELEVANT, I SAY.)

Last night I decided to play "Rock Band" again, since I hadn't in awhile and I found out they released essentially all the good No Doubt songs (shut up i like them ok). I downloaded "Don't Speak" and "It's My Life," even though the drums are pretty easy for those two songs, and proceeded to play them. After I was done with them, though, I saw how many downloaded songs I've never touched on drums, so I played through them.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pretty good at Hard drums.

I managed to four- and five-star songs that have killed me in the past ("Hysteria," "Rock Rebellion," "Perfect Drug," "Working Man"), and passed some songs that I thought impossible ("Laid to Rest"). I then blew through two tiers of the single player, five-starring "Green Grass and High Tides," a song which used to scare the shit out of me, with a 667 note streak (I AM THE NEIGHBOR OF THE BEAST).

So, in conclusion, sake is capable of unlocking unforetold drumming powers. Give it a try sometime. OSU!

Trivia Christmas Music Playlist

2008-12-21T05:24:25Z

As I've stated several times before (most recently five minutes ago in the previous entry, lulz), Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love almost everything about it, except for the morons who want it to last two months long and batter and assault people in a desperate attempt to shop at the last minute. However, those few grievances aside, I look forward to Christmas every year.

I also enjoy my job as a trivia host, namely because it's easy, fun, and I get to play whatever music I want, within reason. For the two shows I'm hosting this next week, I've made a playlist entirely out of Christmas music, incorporating my personal favorite versions of some songs alongside the mainstays of the holiday season, while trying to keep the songs varied enough to be interesting while nostalgic.

I am sharing this A) because I'm bored, and B) because sharing is caring.

The Pre-Show:
"O Holy Night" - John Denver
"Greensleeves" - Arranged by Vince Guaraldi for "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
"White Christmas" - Otis Redding (I can't get enough of this version.)
"Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Dean Martin (This is for my sister.)
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" - Andy Williams
"Carol of the Bells" - Mr. Mackey from "South Park"
"Deck the Hall" - The Muppets
"Blue Christmas" - Elvis Presley
"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" - Gayla Peevey
"Run Rudolph Run" - Chuck Berry
"A Cold, Cold Christmas" - Stephen Colbert
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" - The Chipmunks
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" - Thurl Ravenscroft

The First Round:
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" - Bruce Springsteen
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings" - Barenaked Ladies feat. Sarah McLachlan
"Oh Come All Ye Faithful" - Johnny Cash
"O Tannenbaum" - Vince Guaraldi Trio for "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" - Elmo and Patsy
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Frank Sinatra
"Jingle Bell Rock" - Randy Travis
"Little Drummer Boy" - Wyclef Jean
"Santa Claus is Watching You" - Ray Stevens
"Home for the Holidays" - Perry Como

The Second Round:
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" - Gene Autry
"What Child is This" - Vanessa Williams
"Mele Kalikimaka" - Bing Crosby
"Chanukah Song I" - Adam Sandler
"Do You Hear What I Hear" - Carrie Underwood
"Sleigh Ride" - Ella Fitzgerald
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" - Band Aid
"Feliz Navidad" - Jose Feliciano
"Happy Xmas (War is Over)" - John Lennon
"Can I Interest You in Hannukah?" - Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart

The Bonus Round:
"All I Want for Christmas is You" - Mariah Carey
"White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
"The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole

The Post-Show:
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - John Denver and the Muppets
"Frosty the Snowman" - The Ronettes
"Coventry Carol" - The Celtic Ensemble
"The First Noel" - Josh Groban and Faith Hill
"O Little Town of Bethlehem" - Johnny Cash
"Carol of the Bells" - California Guitar Trio
"Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" - Dean Martin
"Silver Bells" - Bing Crosby
"Holly Jolly Christmas" - Burl Ives
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" - Bing Crosby
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee
"Here Comes Santa Claus" - Gene Autry
"Winter Wonderland" - Dean Martin
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" - Bing Crosby
"Zat You, Santa Claus?" - Louis Armstrong
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - The Isley Brothers (If you wanted to get a girl pregnant at Christmastime, this is the song to play, right after the Otis Redding "White Christmas" and "Nutmeg.")
"Nutmeg" - John Legend and Stephen Colbert
"Back Door Santa" - B.B. King and John Popper
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - Arranged by Vince Guaraldi for "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
"12 Days of Christmas" - John Denver and the Muppets
"Silent Night" - Josh Groban
"Ave Maria" - Arranged by Jesper Kyd for "Hitman: Blood Money"
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" - Dr. Seuss Audio Book (Yes, it's an audio version of the "Grinch" cartoon. Clocks in at 20 minutes (and some change) long.)

...Well, that killed an hour.

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-20T23:03:00

2008-12-21T04:05:22Z

I do enjoy my booze.

Though it makes me talkative, loud, and handsy. (read: absolutely no different than normal.)

But then, it also helps me to mentally block out John's ass. So I've got that going for me.

Thanks for a fantastic party, and for the gifts as well. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and you guys definitely made this one special for me. So thank you.

What is this shit? Two bad trivia shows in two weeks? Fuck jerkoffs in the ear.

2008-12-18T04:31:07Z

So, I don't make up the questions. Let me emphasize that. I just read them as they are written. And a lot of the time, I don't have internet, so I can't corroborate the questions on the fly, during the show.

Well, one of the questions was a sports question. "What former Giants great is also the godfather of controversial baseball slugger Barry Bonds?"

About 11 out of the 15 teams who turned in answers got it correct, saying "Willie Mays." Two other teams, though, were apparently furious with me because I didn't specify whether or not the question referred to baseball, or football, since there's the San Francisco Giants, the baseball team, and the New York Giants, the football team. Because of that, they claimed, they got the question wrong. Not because they didn't know the fucking answer, which would've been Willie Mays regardless of what team he played for. Because they assumed I meant football, when in truth I didn't even remember that there was a baseball team and a football team with the same name, since, hey, I don't follow sports and I sure as shit don't write the questions, they got it wrong, blaming me for their inability to correctly guess the answer.

One woman wanted me to throw the question out, claiming that she had been playing trivia "for years," and knew my boss personally. I explained as calmly as I could that I couldn't do that, since so many people got it correct, and I had never heard of a host throwing out a question, which is true. Well, she asks for my name, which I give her, and she storms off, saying, "I don't need anything else, since I know him," which she emphasized twice during our entire conversation, which I think was supposed to scare me. Instead I just thought, "That's nice. I know my boss, too."

Then one of the other teams, with the same issue (that I screwed them out of 10 points in a 165 point game), also wanted my boss's phone number, as well as his name and my name, which I gladly gave the man representing their team. No sweat off my back, especially since the "runner," which is what I call the people who turn in answers, said, "they" want my info. So maybe he was just the messenger, in which case, not his fault.

So a few minutes later I get a call from my boss, and what he has been hearing is not that I haven't been running the game like other hosts, but that I "have a bad attitude." Ah, yes. The old fallback for those who want to fuck over people making minimum wage. "Bad attitude," which in this case means I wouldn't do what they wanted.

Well I explain as best as I can that I had not been trying to have a bad attitude with the woman in any way, and that I had attempted to be as congenial as I can while explaining that I can't do what she was asking me to do. I asked my boss if I was supposed to throw the question out, and he said no. His main concern was that someone was claiming I had a bad attitude, and that if anyone else were to apporach me in the fashion that the woman did, I should defer to my boss, which I definitely will. "Play dumb," he said, which I will in the future. I'm sort of frustrated though, because I can't use my best judgment, which I, naturally, think is really damn good considering I went to a private school before graduating with honors from the University of Georgia. Or even if I do use my judgment, I have to put on this charade that it was my boss's idea, since middle-aged assholes can't handle being told 'no' when they play a completely free game.

I'm not even concerned about losing my job or anything, I'm worried about not being able to fill in at Mellow Mushroom again. That's another $50 out of my pocket because of some crotchety bitch.

Then at the end of the night, there was a SNAFU with the final tallies. Without going in to too much detail, some of the scores came out wrong, according to one very nice team, and so I tried to fix it, only to discover that I had the calculations correct the first time, after I had sent one team off without a prize, and giving the wrong prize to another team. It was completely, 100% my fault, and I apologized over 20 times, I think. I managed to work it out with the teams and the manager, since thankfully the one mistaken team knew the kid who was in third place but I had sent away prizeless because I thought he got fourth place, and the second place team is a group of regulars who are there every week.

So work was really damn stressful tonight, once because of the players, and again because of me. I feel bad about the latter way more than the former, because I know that errors with math aside, I'm a good host. The team sitting at the bar tonight overheard my conversation with my boss and said they'd "vouch for me," which I appreciated, and at the end of the night a couple teams complimented me on my job.

I just really fucking hate assholes who think trying to intimidate me will get them what they want when they're flat-out wrong, and I hate not being my own boss so I can tell them to go fuck themselves if they want to get upset over something as ridiculous as one question in a free game.

Fuck assholes. That's the lesson to be learned here.

P.S. - And thanks to my wonderful sister I had a free glass of wine, free Texas Toast, and a sympathetic ear right after I got off work. Just what I needed.

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-17T16:27:00

2008-12-17T21:38:22Z

Feeling pretty good today, thanks to actually exercising for the first time in a month. I'd slacked off to concentrate my free time on my grad school applications, and, in true procrastination style, kept putting it off "one more day," until I'd done so for two and a half weeks. Thankfully I'm back on the horse as of today, though.

I also got called to fill in for two shows this week, which is awesome. One show's tonight, the other's Saturday, and I'm hoping someone bails on a Thursday show just so I can get in another night of work.

Am I the only one who feels that the word "lore" shouldn't be bandied about in reference to some video game's backstory? To me it feels like the word has too much weight to pertain to a bunch of made-up shit, regardless of whether or not the setting is supposed to be in the past or something. I've only heard it used in regards to two games that I've had experience with, "World of Warcraft," and "Star Wars: The Old Republic." I feel that using the word "lore" might make the people who enjoy the game feel like they're dealing with something more important than it is, but I feel absolutely silly when I say, "It's well documented in 'Star Wars' lore that Darth Vader was a total douche."

On the other hand, I'm completely fine with using the word "mythos" in a discussion about video games, because, hey, "mythos" means "made-up shit" (it's in the Oxford Dictionary, look it up).

I guess my point is that using "lore" is supposed to make the subject matter more serious, legitimate, and deep, but instead it just sounds silly. KNOCK IT OFF, NECKBEARDS

sweet baby fuck tf2 is fun

2008-12-14T09:21:51Z

I think it's a bit odd that I'm not as good with the Scout or Demoman when using a mouse and keyboard, but I'm stil just as good with the Pyro and Heavy. Probably because A) I'm not used to mouse/keyboard, and B) There's some lag for me when there's a ton of people onscreen.

we should definitely set up a game sometime guyz

Work tonight was work.

2008-12-12T06:14:20Z

So tonight I had a double, doing a normal show and an Adult show. The Adult Trivia is different from the normal trivia shows in that it's held in a bar, and all the questions are about sex, drugs, and, to a much lesser extent, rock 'n roll. One of the training days I did was at the same venue I was scheduled to work tonight, and when I trained there I had an absolute blast. Everyone was very relaxed and having a good time, and people told me I did a good job.

This was not unlike my General Trivia experience tonight. I did a normal show at a venue I'd never worked before, and the manager shook my hand afterward and told me I did a really good job, and I got a couple compliments about the music from some of the players, as well. I left that show feeling pretty good about myself.

Then I did the Adult show. I experienced what I guess is the closest I can ever come to bombing as a part-time trivia host. One table, which was about 8 people sitting literally five feet in front of me, always had something inane to shout out, I could hear them insulting me while I managed the scores, and one of them was just doing his best to be a giant douche in the most childish ways possible. I overheard him refer to me as "the white Urkel," when I repeated a question because someone had asked me to, he asked me to repeat it right afterward (even though that would've been the fourth time I'd read the question), I let one of their team members turn in the final, extra-points answer, then immediately take it back to change the answer, and when he turned it in he asked for it back and did the thing where he acts like he's going to give it to me and then yank it away at the last second.

It really wouldn't have been so bad had my other experience at this place been so good, or if the people who actually liked the job I was doing sat closer to me. As it was, I had a face full of Douche for the entire hour-and-a-half show.

Now I don't know if I'd do the show again. Part of me says yes, because I need the money, and the chance exists that they wouldn't be there next time; the other part says no, because it won't be any different: people who are douchebags and drink will be douchebags on any other day of the month.

I came home smelling like cigarettes, with a headache, and incredibly pissed, mainly due to the overwhelming disappointment I had in the experience.

I guess now I'll drink and watch "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem - Director's Cut."

P.S. - Big Thank You to Mr. Jon for encouraging me to look into The Sword. Nothing like listening to some new awesome music after a shitty night of work.

P.P.S. - Jesus Christ, "AVPR" is an absolutely terrible movie.

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-10T18:14:00

2008-12-10T23:14:24Z

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-08T22:49:00

2008-12-09T03:58:29Z

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who commented on my last post, even if it was emotionally and drunkenly charged. I still meant everything I said, though I was a little iffy about posting it. Hence going back three times or so to expand the wording on the lj-cut text. I sometimes feel guilty about posts like that because I know my situation could be worse, but I needed to vent that shit out of my system so I could move on, which I'm now trying to do.

I'm having spicy meatballs and a Hot Toddy that my sister made for me (which is more like bourbon with a dash of tea), while she watches "The Hills." I started The Regulators today, which is already more action-packed, though its bending towards silly because of the villains. Read it and you'll see.

I'm gonna try and play "Fallout 3" or "Rock Band" after I finish my Hot Toddy, and then try and get some sleep. Tomorrow I'm going to call my schools to make sure they got everything, as well as a guy I was talking to last week about grad school.

redcrossknight @ 2008-12-07T00:38:00

2008-12-07T06:14:09Z

I feel like making an update, so I will.

I abused the shit out of Chris's "Alien Quadrilogy" boxset, watching the theatrical cut of "Alien," which I'd never seen before, the Director's Cut of "Aliens," which I've seen countless times, and the "Assembly Cut" of "Alien3," which I'd only seen once before. I still maintain that "Aliens" is the best, thanks to its memorable dialogue, intense action, and tight storytelling, but I have to give "Alien3" its due. The "Assembly Cut" is actually pretty damn good, if different from its two predecessors. One can only wonder how good it would have have been had the studio backed the fuck off and let Fincher make his film. "Alien" is still good, as usual, but that's not surprising; it just doesn't effect me the way "Aliens" does.

I beat "Gears of War 2," and can safely say, "Don't believe the hype." The gameplay is still fun, if repetitive, but the story is shit. It raises questions without answering any of the ones raised in this game and the first one, and it very blatantly creates subplots to tug at one's heart strings. Unfortunately, the subplots are so contrived and awkwardly shoehorned into the story that they slow the pace of the story to a crawl. So rent it, if that's to your liking, but be prepared to get annoyed as shit at companies trying to force a trilogy down your throat when all you want is a game that finishes the story it began ten hours ago, even if they want to leave the possibility of a sequel open. For examples of how to do this, see "Metal Gear Solid," and "Mass Effect."

I'm just really tired of game companies deciding to start with a trilogy, and telling a story that remains so open that you don't feel like you've accomplished anything. It honestly makes me not want to play the game, since I don't see the point; I play video games a lot of the time because I want to enjoy a great story, and I can't do that if I know that the main plot threads begun in the beginning of the game won't resolve themselves by game's end. It has to feel stand-alone enough to be enjoyable and worth playing even if the next game won't come out in the next two years. And I guess a guy dumb enough to call himself "Cliffy B" wouldn't understand that.

Don't buy "Gears of War 2." It's just not worth it.

Then again, neither is "Left 4 Dead."

On the console, it is not worth the $60. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of fun to play, but the content is so minimal when you compare it to other games today that it just doesn't stack up. (Four 2-hour long campaigns, no story. Repititious FPS gameplay with a neat adaptive A.I., but don't believe the "different game every time!" bullshit. They all feel the same, it just changes at which points you 'rinse,' and at which points you 'repeat.') Maybe it would be worth $60 on the PC, where you can have mods out the ass for it, but on the console all additional content will most likely come out with a price tag (or not at all, considering Valve's abysmal treatment of the console versions of "Team Fortress 2"), which I just don't believe I should pay for if the game costs $60 to begin with, with so little content.

I'm thinking to save money I'll be looking into getting DS games next, instead of console games, since I haven't touched my DS in months, just because I forget about it. There are still so many games I want for my neglected handheld console: "Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin," "Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia," "Contra Fucking 4," and now "Chrono Trigger," which I've never played before.

I finished reading Desperation, which was a big ol' "Meh." It dealt with a lot of the same themes as The Stand, but with a lot less finesse and engrossing storytelling. Then again, I read it pretty much as an excuse to read The Regulators, which is written by Stephen King's pseudonymous Richard Bachman (which most likely means the story will be more gruesome and depressing), so I guess I got what I deserved.

lulz

2008-12-03T06:10:22Z

You are Guiness

Congratulations, you like a man's beer. You like a man's mans' beer. You have character and strength, a fine set of old school principles. You know what a good beer is and won't settle for anything mediocre. You are sometimes dark and brooding, but that just because you have a lot of passion inside you. You stand high on top of the beer chain.

Quizlines.com

This is why I enjoy being a packrat.

2008-12-02T22:01:03Z

So, after reading through the Let's Play thread on Something Awful devoted to the "Aliens Versus Predator" games, I got a huge hankering to go back and play through "AvP 2," which I barely even touched when I first got it. I was so happy to find that I still have the discs to install it, thanks to Jason, and have put it on both my G5 and my laptop.

It's great knowing I have the third most fun game on the Mac.

(the second being "world of warcraft," and the first being photoshop.)

EDIT: Aaaaaand it turns out "AvP2" doesn't work in Leopard. FUCKING SHIT

redcrossknight @ 2008-11-30T15:25:00

2008-11-30T21:16:18Z

It's been awhile since I made an update that wasn't me begging for revisions of my work.

How about I fix that?

I finally submitted my applications on Thursday night, after sextuple-checking everything and making sure it was all kosher. After submitting the online forms, I had to organize the 'creative portfolio' for NYU, and mail it in on Friday. I discovered I needed to name my three pieces, the Silent Film, the Dialogue Scene, and the Film Concept. This wasn't so much a problem for the Silent Film, as I had always intended to name it "Beloved," and the Film Concept was easy enough to name: "Lazarus." The Dialogue Scene, though, was a bit more difficult, just because I had no idea how the greater story around the scene would evolve, so I named it after a D&D Warlock spell that sounds cool: "Witchfire." I figure I have a few months to come up with a bullshit reason why it is named that.

I suppose I should also mention that the reason I never put up any of the materials for the application to Columbia is, simply, I decided not to apply to Columbia. When I e-mailed them about the format for a few of their items, asking for specifics like margin sizes, they wrote back that, "the committee does want to see that you know the official screenplay format." Which annoyed the shit out of me, since their website talks about how you don't need a background in film, but they require you to know certain things you'd only know from doing film work. I got the impression they actually wanted you to have experience, but said otherwise to attract applicants for their juicy $100 application fees.

The fact that they wanted people with experience, the fact that the school is just plain too expensive, as well as it being one of my bottom choices, where I wouldn't go if I got in to other schools anyway, made me decide to focus on my other two apps instead, and just keep that $100 for myself. Which was a good thing, as I needed to spend $30 overnighting two packages to NYU anyway.

As it stands I think I'll get into FSU. I think I have everything they're looking for, and I think my application materials were extremely solid. I'm up in the air with UCLA and USC, and I don't think I'll get into NYU, but I'm still thankful for the entire application process because it got my creative juices flowing, and made me realize I might not be as terrible a fiction writer as I thought. It made me less afraid to make up my own stories, and helped me realize that while making a film costs money, writing doesn,'t, and I can be writing scripts while waiting for my career to take off.

Which brings me to another point. I really want to thank everyone who helped me through this application process, be it through moral support or by actually critiquing and commenting on my creative materials. I can't really afford much, so what I'd like to do is have a day where I make you all dinner. I have a handy cookbook which has yet to let me down, and Chris and Nicole have been nice enough to offer up their apartment to host the dinner. Right now I'm thinking of having it sometime after Christmas, when Katie is in Athens, since she was one of the people who helped me the most.

As it stands, the guest list would look like this, if everyone could come: Katie, JEB, Chris, Nicole, Lisk, Joey, David, Kristie, Alex, Mr. Jon, Erin, Emily, Megan, and Jason. I realize some of you are overseas, so we'll save you a place at the table, like Elijah at Passover, and when you're back stateside, remind me and I'll either cook you something, or buy you enough Woodchuck to get you drunk. That's fair, right?

Right now I'm thinking of making Sicilian Style Meat Loafs, which is a meat loaf with prosciutto-wrapped cheese in the middle of it, served over linguine.

This past week I also saw "Quantum of Solace" again. I still haven't decided if I'm getting my hair cut like 007, but I'm thinking I'll try it, since I won't be attempting to impress anyone during the month of December. I really like the dialogue and characterizations in the film, but Jesus do I hate the cinematography and editing during the action scenes. You get a sense of what's happening, but all the shots are so tight and shaky you never know for sure what precisely is going on. Still a fun movie, though.

I also saw "Twilight" on Friday.

It should have been called "Twilight: A Sci-Fi Channel Original Movie."

It was absolutely terrible, and somehow found a way to make the story from the books worse. The cinematography was fucking stupid and amateurish, the acting was a lame attempt at being "realistic" by having them stammer over their lines without holding eye contact, the music was sparse and uninteresting, the plot had absolutely no tension or mystery, and some of the lines from the book were absolutely laughable when heard in the film.

So, no surprise, the movie sucks.

What also sucks is Georgia losing to Tech. But what was hilarious was my cousin's apparent Tourette Syndrome. He would shout, "NERDS!" at any bad play or call, scaring two Tech fans sitting in front of us. It was absolutely hysterical.

Now I think I'm going to get some lunch, and play some "Fallout 3" or "Rock Band." Yay fun!

redcrossknight @ 2008-11-18T00:38:00

2008-11-18T05:39:29Z

I'm thinking of getting my hair cut like Daniel Craig's in "Quantum of Solace." The only drawback is I'm not sure if it'd make me look like I was 24, or 14, because, frankly, I'm not Daniel Craig.

WHAT SAY YOU, INTERNETO?

Stuff: The Revisioning

2008-11-17T01:55:23Z

"The Film School awards a limited number of graduate assistantships to incoming students in the production and writing programs.

Please use the space provided below to explain your financial need, and also any classroom teaching or assisting experience as applicable. Click in the gray box to begin."

When I decided that I wanted to attend graduate school, the most important issue I had to face was my financial situation. I come from a firmly middle-class family, with a mother who is a teacher, and a father who recently was forced into early retirement from Delta Airlines due to the current financial climate in the airline industry. Personally, my funds are extremely limited, particularly because I have a medical condition known as ulcerative colitis. The three medications I’m taking to keep it under control are very expensive, with one, Remicade, costing $3,000 per I.V. session, and I must have it every six weeks. Currently I benefit from programs with the pharmaceutical companies that produce my medicines, as well as a patient assistance program at a nearby hospital, but on the whole these only defer a portion of the financial burden rather than removing it entirely. Also, once I move away from the hospital which is giving me assistance, I will lose the support of its financial assistance program, and will be responsible for a large portion of my own medical care. Since I lack medical insurance, and have difficulty finding any due to many insurance companies’ clause about pre-existing medical conditions, I save what money I can in the event that I need to get my medicine, but I have no other way of getting my medicine short of paying the full price.

My teaching experience, while informal, has covered a wide range of activities and responsibilities. For example, on numerous occasions I have assisted my mother in organizing her classroom and grading homework for her grade-school classes. I also performed as an assistant to a director at Woodward Academy for the Middle School’s yearly production, organizing dinners and helping to train the young students as actors discovering and exploring their characters. I have even trained multiple new employees at my jobs over the years, and have helped tutor my friends in subjects such as English, Theatre, and Film, and assisted them in compiling film clips on video for class presentations.

Throughout my entire life I have only been able to receive the excellent education I did because of financial assistance. I was able to attend Woodward Academy, an esteemed private school in College Park, Georgia, because my mother has worked there as a teacher since before I was born. My older sister and myself were able to take advantage of her contract, which granted the children of faculty members the opportunity to attend the school at no cost. Utilizing the unique privilege my parents provided for myself and my sister, I maintained a 3.2 GPA in order to make sure that I qualified for the HOPE Scholarship, which covers all tuition fees for Georgia residents attending in-state colleges and universities provided the student maintains above a 3.0 GPA. I not only kept my GPA above 3.0 throughout my entire undergraduate career, I finished my Bachelor of Arts with a 3.5 GPA. Despite my academic excellence, though, my current financial situation will not allow me to attend graduate school without aid. Even though I receive unconditional moral support from my family, the truth is, due to my father’s unemployment and their drained funds after putting my sister through college at Auburn University, they cannot afford to help me financially.

I can say with absolute certainty that I did not take the financial assistance I received in both high school and undergraduate college for granted, nor will I waste the opportunity granted to me should I receive one of the graduate assistantship positions at Florida State University.

Ever since I can remember, I have loved films and the way they enriched and inspired my imagination, allowing me to go on impossible journeys and meet fascinating characters. “Star Wars,” for example, had a profound impact on me. While I dreamed of being a Jedi Knight and purging the galaxy of evil, as my other childhood friends did, I discovered that it had inspired me in a much deeper way: I wanted to be a storyteller. While others may feel more comfortable telling their stories on paper or on the stage, I have always held a special appreciation of film as a narrative medium, one that can tell stories in a unique way and perhaps reach the widest audience possible. It is my goal to be a
film director one day, telling my own stories with my chosen medium.

However, one of the greatest obstacles I’ve had to address is the question of how to reach the position in which I can tell the stories I want to tell. One approach, which has never sat well with me is the notion that one can just move to California and “figure it out from there.” It seems so completely reckless as to be foreign to my way of thinking. Before I would ever tackle a task as immense as helming a production, I would need to be certain I knew how to handle any technical, interpersonal, or creative issues that could come up. I would need to know what each person’s job entails, and the best way to communicate with him/her in order to enrich the artistic work being created by the entire staff.

This brings me to another frustration I have with less realistic understandings of careers in this industry. While I plan on studying to become a film director, more often than not people “want to be a director” without fully understanding what it means to be one. They want to be “the auteur,” the director who is hailed as the entire driving force behind any film, overshadowing the contributions of the huge number of other people who assist in creating to the final product. While I know myself to be creative and capable of simply telling each person on staff precisely what I want, I also know how much more rewarding and dynamic a piece can be with input from many perspectives.

Throughout my high school career at Woodward Academy, I studied acting with Linda Wise, the 2006 Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame inductee. Under her tutelage, I came to understand performance arts as a collaborative effort; I learned that allowing one’s own ego to eliminate the possibility of superb artistic input from someone else in the production would be a folly that would weaken the final product. Because of the productions I had the fortune to take part in, I was able to see how Mrs. Wise let us, as actors, thrive, nurturing our exploration of the characters while giving us guidance and shaping the overarching look of the plays.

Also, through my studies at the University of Georgia’s Department of Theatre and Film Studies, I have been able to strengthen my passion for film through extensive analysis of how film has developed as a medium, narrative or otherwise, and of the creative possibilities that were explored as it matured. I’ve also had the opportunity to participate in classes that gave me the opportunity to helm a few rudimentary film productions for projects designed to give students an understanding of how a production actually takes place, and thus enhance our perspective in studying films. For example, I took an introductory class to film directing with Dr. Charles Eidsvik, and chose for my final project to adapt and direct a one-act play titled “Scripted.” I spent the next two months designing the cinematography, casting, training one of the inexperienced actors, rehearsing with the actors, directing them on location, and finally editing the film together. I spent what available time I had working on some aspect of the film, whether I was at home with a notebook in my lap, or in the computer lab cutting and re-cutting clips of film in FinalCut until they kicked me out in order to close the labs for the night. Even though I had a fairly certain idea what I wanted my final film to look like, I would always ask for the input of the actors, letting them try different interpretations or blocking until they were comfortable in the part. Despite my confidence in my own artistic vision, I know when to set my ego aside and encourage the creativity of my collaborators, especially because I am not omniscient enough to know of every possibility for every scene and character; if there’s a chance that someone else could bring an idea to the table I didn’t think of, and enrich the project, I’d be a fool not to take it.

As I’ve matured I’ve discovered that I want nothing more out of life than to helm a production in order to tell an unforgettable story that will reach millions of people, never putting my ego ahead of the art. I am so passionate about understanding all aspects of film production that I even took on an extra semester of college after graduation in order to take a sound design class. Right now, though, while my dreams and dedication are vast, my technical experience is limited. I want the training an MFA in Film Production from FSU will provide so that I won’t have to worry about trying to get a job in which the crew would need to have the patience to teach me what I should already know. Also, going through a Master’s program would allow me to begin developing the networking skills and connections that are so crucial in this line of work. Like so many other great directors, I know that in order to succeed in the highly competitive film industry I will need the strong technical grounding and creative expertise Florida State University can give me.

James B. Miller III
259 Craig Wood Way
Sharpsburg, GA 30277
(404) 259.0103
jake.3rd@gmail.com

Education
The University of Georgia Athens, GA
Bachelor of Arts: Film Studies, Cum Laude December 2007
Minor in Theatre

Extracurricular Activities and Other Honors
• HOPE Scholarship recipient August 2002–August 2007
• Worldwide Comics Appreciation Society: President August 2005–May 2007
• UGAnime: active member August 2005–May 2008

Software and Linguistic Skills
• Languages known: English, native fluency; Spanish, five years’ training; Japanese, introductory skills.
• Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Millennium, and XP; Macintosh OS X Panther, Tiger, and Leopard
• Software: Microsoft Office 98, 2000, and Microsoft Office Macintosh 2008 (Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), Appleworks 6, Macintosh TextEdit, Digidesign ProTools, Adobe Acrobat, Final Cut Express, Final Cut Pro, and Photoshop.

Relevant Experience
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
“Dead in Ten”………………………………………………………………………………..May, 2008
• Volunteered as an assistant, performing various activities related to set design, lighting, and cinematography.

University of Georgia, Athens, GA
“Gurren Lagaan: Fandub’d”………………………………………………………………May 2008
• Sound Design class.
• Worked intimately with Digidesign ProTools.
• Casted and directed actors for the purposes of audio dialogue replacement, managing both rehearsal and recording sessions.
• Worked with translators to create an English script from the original Japanese language, modifying the dialogue for the purposes of flow and performance.
• Selected, organized, and managed all sound effects and music.

University of Georgia, Athens, GA
“Scripted”……………………………………………………………………………………..May 2007
• Directing for Film class.
• Casted, directed, shot, and edited a five minute film, using the script by Mark Harvey Levine.
• Engaged the actors in active exploration of their characters.
• Designed both the lighting and the cinematography, from storyboard to editing room.
• Managed the rehearsal and shooting schedule, coordinating crew members and actors alike.
• Acquired basic Adobe Final Cut Pro skills, editing the film.

University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Introduction to Dramatic Writing………………………………………………….August 2006
• Wrote two scripts, “The Dying Light,” and “Late-Night Shoppers.” (Available upon request.)
• Utilized character analysis skills from theatre experience while developing scripts with different tones, dialogue rhythms, and genre styles.
• Enhanced critiquing skills for own work and for others’.

UGA Cellar Theatre, Athens, GA
“The Last of My Solid Gold Watches”………………………………………….December 2005
• Directing for Theatre class.
• Casted and directed a one-act play, using the script by Tennessee Williams.
• Worked with actors to explore the characters and themes in the piece, studying the play.
• Devised and managed the rehearsal schedule.
• Managed resources to purchase or otherwise acquire all props, costumes, and set pieces.

Woodward Academy, College Park, GA
Actor and Set Builder………………………………………………..September 1996-May 2002
• Handled basic set construction and painting.
• Learned the basic skills of an actor, performing leading roles in both straight drama pieces as well as musical theatre.
• Honed acting skills with 2006 Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame inductee Linda Wise.

Other Work Experience
The Trivia Factory, Atlanta, GA
Trivia Host………………………………………………………………………August 2008-Present
• Managed participants as well as handled scorekeeping and music selection, all independent of any supervision.
• Helped train new hosts.

UGA Campus Eateries, Athens, GA
Sales Associate and Cashier…………………………………………...August 2006–May 2008
• Helped train new cashiers.
• Assisted in loss prevention and security.
• Was solely responsible for unit’s upkeep, including cleaning, stocking, and sales.

A.D.D. Marketing, Athens, GA
Independent Marketing Agent……………………………….......January 2007–March 2007
• Organized and managed events specifically designed to promote the recent release of a video game.
• Actively promoted the title, including posting advertisements around the community and handing out flyers to members of the sought after demographic.

Chick-Fil-A, Newnan, GA
Cashier and Food Preparation Specialist…………………………..May 2003-August 2004
• Assisted in active roadside advertisement while in costume and in character.

i don't know if dedication can be described as "vast" but whatever

Just an update while I unwind.

2008-11-15T05:04:52Z

So, I've been a very bad student. I've slacked off most of this past week, procrastinating by playing a on of "Fallout 3" when I should have been doing my grad school apps. I started really kicking myself today, not because I'm suddenly out of time to do them, just that I shouldn't have rested on my laurels just because I got two of the five applications in on time. I should have just kept right on going, but instead I got comfortable not thinking about them for several days, deciding that, since all I had to do was "tweak" my applications, I could spend more free time than I should have playing video games.

Well, I decided today that that's a terrible attitude to have when I have yet to send my application into one of my top choices, FSU, so today I made the pledge not to touch "Fallout 3" until I've sent in all my applications. This way, any free time I have will be spent working on at least some part of my applications, for some school. I figure that if I only work on applications this next week, when not working or exercising, I could theoretically have them done by next Monday. That's my goal, anyway. I went ahead and removed the disc from the Xbox and put it in its case on the shelf, just to make sure I didn't fall back into the mindset of, "Well, I can play for just a little while... [cut to five o'clock in the morning] ...fuck my life."

I still have some hurtles in piecing together my application portfolios, such as treatments for feature-length films for NYU and Columbia, which should be just great since I've never gotten an entire concept for a full-length film down before. One of the express visions I had for my career was a film director, not a writer/director. Frankly, I think most stories I come up with are hackneyed and derivative, and I only plan to write for myself in order to give myself work; I'd much prefer to use someone else's script than my own.

But c'est la vie. I've filled out the electronic application portions for all three schools, I just have to re-work my Purpose Statements, etc. So expect to see something tomorrow evening. The plan right now is to go watch the UGA game with my grandfather tomorrow during the day, and spend the rest of the day tooling around with applications.

I want to say how much I appreciate you all giving me feedback. It means a lot to me, since any application process annoys me because of the pomp and circumstance surrounding each one, and I like being able to count on my friends to be there to help me present myself in the best way possible. So, if you've assisted, critiqued, or helped in any other way during this period, thank you. It means more than you might know.

I've also been making some progress on Operation Creditor's Delight, as I was approved for two credit cards, a MasterCard through CitiBank, and a Visa through the Delta Community Credit Union. As soon as I double-check with my inside sources (read: Chris' Dad) about how best to rack up a good credit score (e.g., using it to buy something several times a month, then immediately paying it off the day I use it, making one payment a month, how frequently or infrequently should I use it, etc.), I'll finally buy some things I just decided to hold off on 'til I could use a credit card to buy them, such as more shaving cream (Lavender or Rose scent? Anyone? Sandalwood, maybe?), some undershirts, and some more boxer-briefs, as well as groceries.

That's about all for now. I'm gonna go to bed in a bit, before hopefully hitting the ground running tomorrow morning.

RUT-ROH

2008-11-07T21:20:40Z

Dear millertimemotherfuck,

Your video "UGAnime Presents "Gurren Lagann: Fandub'd"" has been identified by YouTube's Content Identification program as containing copyrighted content which Starz Media LLC claims is theirs.

Your video "UGAnime Presents "Gurren Lagann: Fandub'd"" is no longer visible in some locations, because Starz Media LLC has chosen to block it.

Claim Details:
Copyright owner: Starz Media LLC
Content claimed: Some or all of the visual content
Policy: Block this content.

Applies to these locations:
Canada, United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands, United States Virgin Islands

Starz Media LLC claimed this content as a part of the YouTube Content Identification program. YouTube allows partners to review YouTube videos for content to which they own the rights. Partners may use our automated video / audio matching system to identify their content, or they may manually review videos.

If you believe that this claim was made in error, or that you are otherwise authorized to use the content at issue, you can dispute this claim with Starz Media LLC and view other options in the Video ID Matches section of your YouTube account. Please note that YouTube does not mediate copyright disputes between content owners. Learn more about video identification disputes.

Sincerely,
The YouTube Content Identification Team

Looks like they finally found my fandub video. OH NOES.

I guess my fandub threatens their potential airing of "Lagann" on the Sci-Fi channel? Or something?

Meh. 2,500+ views at five stars. We had a good run. DOOOOOOON'T STOP. BELIEEEEEEEEVIN'.