Sunday, June 30, 2002

- nobody knows i'm a lesbian -

Am I gay? Am I straight? Then I realized, I'm just slutty.
Where's *my* parade?

- Margaret Cho, I'm the One That I Want

Saturday, June 29, 2002

- goodbye yellow brick road -

My first volunteer gig for Three Dollar Bill Cinema (also my first ever outdoor movie event) was super fun even though we failed to sell a single t-shirt. The feature presentation: The Wizard of Oz starring the one and only Judy Garland. How appropriate.

Friday, June 28, 2002

- shut your fuckin' face, uncle fucker -

...and design your own South Park character.

Wednesday, June 26, 2002

- two conversations about nothing -

Take 1:

Jeremy: You don't know Somewhere Over the Rainbow?
Hansol: Um, no.
Jeremy: What kind of an American are you?
Hansol: Um, a Canadian?

Jeremy: I work for a non-profit organization.
Hansol: Well, technically, I do too.

Tuesday, June 25, 2002

- two-thirds of a rice krispy -

I must be nearing the final pop. All day, I enviously watch the smokers, or blankly stare at my monitor as more and more work gets piled on. I can feel that my job is slowly killing me, yet I don't have the guts to get up and walk away. Besides, would I really be any happier as an unemployed bum with no income? I don't know what to do. Please help.

Monday, June 24, 2002

- insomnia -

"May cause drowsiness," says the warning label on my sleeping pills. I bloody hope so.

Saturday, June 22, 2002

- celebrity unschadenfreude -

How can a healthy 33-year-old (a professional athlete, no less) just die in his sleep? I still can't believe Darryl Kile is gone... Rest in peace, DK -- we miss you already.

Wednesday, June 19, 2002

- a rush of blood to the head -

Coldplay's new album is coming out in late August. Have you heard the new single yet?

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

- optimistic pessimism -

I always try to be pessimistic about things. That way, if things don't turn out the way I wanted, I'm ready for the disappointment; if they do turn out the way I wanted, it's doubly sweet because I never expected it. Case in point: the South Korean team (a.k.a. the Red Devils) in this year's World Cup. I never expected them to make it to the round of 16 (hell, I never expected them to win a single match), but now they have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by beating Italy. (Ok, ok, so there was questionable officiating, etc., but c'mon -- the poor Koreans deserve a break.) I'm not about to jump on the bandwagon, however. I ain't missing sleep to sit in front of a TV for 90+ minutes for a few flashes of excitement that may or may not come.

Sunday, June 16, 2002

- christian suburbanites -

If you're frightened of dying and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.

Friday, June 14, 2002

- chin music -

It's also ludicrous, because it would require a certain degree of cognitive thinking by The Rocket, who is usually hard-pressed to put together any thought more abstract than, "Fire bad."

- Jim Caple

Wednesday, June 12, 2002

- i'm a consumer whore -

I just bought a nifty military map bag from Stüssy, which made me realize 1) shopping makes me happy, and 2) I haven't made a "major" purchase since I bought my piano almost 20 months ago. Now I have this sudden need/urge to max out my credit card.

The current candidates for my new potential splurge (buy me these and I'll be your best friend forever):

Sony 42" Plasma WEGA Flat Panel TV: Dude, it weighs only 82 lbs! Apparently you can get this for 00 at CostCo. Yeah, that's still a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a TV, but considering how much time I spend watching DVDs, it just might be a really good investment.
Sony VAIO Notebook: I've resisted long enough, but I really need to upgrade my ancient (and I do mean ancient) home PC. Palm Pilots have more computing power than my P-133 (which, ironically, is still the most expensive thing I have ever bought in my entire life).
Leather armchair + Ottoman: Or I can just get one from Ikea for a 1/10 the price.
New pair of Birkenstocks (Milano, dark brown leather, size 39R): Ok, so it's not really a "major" purchase, but I think it's time to say good-bye to my blood-stained, grey nubuck Birks. (And yes, it *is* my blood. Well, some of it, anyways.)

Friday, June 7, 2002

- this week's sign of the apocalypse -

Venus and Serena Williams are now ranked #1 and #2 in the world. This might just be the end of humanity as we know it.

Wednesday, June 5, 2002

- juiced up -

From Rob Neyer's interview with Malcolm Gladwell

The best example of how impossible it will be for Major League Baseball to crack down on steroids is the fact that baseball and the media are still talking about the problem as "steroids." In fact, my guess is that most players aren't using steroids at all. Like most world-class athletes, they've probably graduated to human growth hormone or straight testosterone, both of which are much harder to detect. Ever wonder why a certain aging but remarkably successful power hitter can say with such conviction that he's not using steroids? He's not using steroids. He's using something better.

Tuesday, June 4, 2002

- tele-parablizing -

I think one of the things that makes Sex and the City so great is the fact that we can all identify with the 4 women:

Charlotte and I both dream of the fairy tale ending.
Miranda reminds me of myself the most: judgmental, logical, critical, cold, detached, uncompromising, and brutally honest.
Samantha... Ok, I have nothing in common with Samantha. In fact, she's the complete opposite of me in almost every aspect -- other than our overall fabulousnesses, that is.
And last but not least, Carrie. We all see a bit of ourselves in Carrie because she's the only "complete" (and also the most real) character of the bunch. As for me, I'd have to say it's our affinity for shoes. Oh, and the fact that we're always hung up on someone who's so not right for us, or someone we can't have...

Monday, June 3, 2002

- at least an asteroid's not gonna kill us all -

Frito's response to Pearl Harbor II: Pearlmageddon:

How about this treatment:

/usr/bin/Perl -Harbor

About a group of patriotic Perl developers who find themselves under attack by Finish hackers (who actually speak German, of course), only to have one of the Perl devs fall in love with the beautiful, Finish hacker, Lindvug, as they find themselves both standing in line for advance copies of The X-Files: The Final Season DVD.

Saturday, June 1, 2002

- cinephiles rejoice -

Hansol's SIFF tips:

Always go for the matinee if you have a choice. Sure, it's only .50 cheaper, but it adds up. They are also less busy, so you have a better chance at good seats.
If you are going to a midnight show, expect the crowd to be rowdy/drunk. This usually enhances the viewing experience, but not always.
Don't schedule back-to-back movies playing at different venues. Yes, it's doable, but not worth it. Shows often run behind schedule, and you're more than likely to be late for your second flick. Even if you manage to get in (SIFF has a strict no-late-sitting policy), you'll be watching it from the worst seat in the house. Possible exception: Egyptian and Broadway Performance Hall, since they are right next to each other.
Avoid the Egyptian if you have an option of seeing it at another venue. I love that movie theater, but let's face it: the seats are uncomfortable (your back will thank me later) and sound quality is atrocious (extra caution if you are watching a thick-accented movie without subtitles such as British or Australian).
The best seats in the Egyptian are the 3rd row of the upper section. That's the only place where you consistently get a good view of the subtitles. Under no circumstances should you sit in the upper level/balcony section of the Egyptian. Those seats have no cushion -- it's solid wood! (Your butt will thank me later.)
The best seats in the Pacific Place are the first row of the upper section: totally unobstructed view of the screen, tons of legroom and the railing to put up your feet on.
Ditto for Cinerama. You should be careful not to sit directly behind those seats reserved for the handicapped though. They are rarely used, but if they are, they completely block your line of sight.
The balcony of the Harvard Exit is actually half decent -- another place where you get an unobstructed view of the screen even though the viewing angle isn't optimal.
As for BPH, my favorite spot is seat 113, 5 rows from the back.
If you get in the line 30-45 minutes before the movie starts, you can normally secure a stellar seat, especially if you are going solo. Showing up earlier than that won't make much difference.
Get your seat first, *then* go to the washroom. Every second counts!
Try to pick a seat behind a short person. Don't bother looking for a seat behind an empty seat. This is the SIFF -- it *will* be taken eventually, and most likely by a tall person who'll block your view.
Avoid sitting next to, or near "older" people. Surprisingly, they are much louder and less considerate than the typical audience. They also burst into laughter/applause at the most inappropriate moments.