“I know you want it to stay pleasant around here, but there are so many things that are so much better. Like silly or sexy…or dangerous or brief. And everyone of those things is in you all the time, if you just had the guts to look for them”
— David Wagner
Pleasantville is one of my favorite movies of all time. The metaphor and symbolism is easy and the message is clear. Done with a visually stunning and musically rich story line.
Although not the major point in this story, nostalgic 50s photos tend to make people feel like freshly baked cookies. Ironically enough, this movie also shows that not only is it not like freshly baked cookies(thanks AENG), but actually more like stale bland cookies that’s been left out for… about 60 years now.
This is all I remember from last nights dream. I was driving in a white car in the darkness of night, the kind that creeps into the light threatening to swallow it whole. I stopped to get gas with much difficulty for what felt like an eternity. And when I was done, I drove wildly off a cliff next to the gas station into the ocean and was drowning till I woke up. I rarely remember my dreams, so I decided to look up and analyze.
White - “You feel refreshed and have a new outlook on life. You feel at peace and are aware of a new beginning.”
Car - “To dream that you are driving a car symbolizes your ambition and your ability to navigate from one stage of your life to another”
Night - “To dream of night time signifies obstacles in achieving your goals”
Gas station - “To dream that you are at the gas station indicates a need to reenergize and revitalize yourself”
Driving - “To dream that you are driving a vehicle signifies your life’s journey and your path in life”
Drowning - “These dreams usually occur when the dreamer is feeling overwhelmed in real life.”
Water - “Turbulent, choppy waters in which a dreamer fears being swamped or drowning symbolize that you are being overwhelmed emotionally.”
“I’ve always found it frustrating to watch an NBA team play smart ball until the last minute of the game, until that last death-defying possession when the star juggles chainsaws, pulls rabbits out of hats, water skis over a shark tank, and tries to hit some incredibly low-percentage, isolation-play shot to win the game.
It occurs to me that last desperate play is very Aristotle-three-act-structure, very James Cameron, very Hollywood entertainment. It’s Bruce Willis pulling that taped gun off his back at the end of Die Hard, it is Steve McQueen motorcycle jumping that fence in Germany. It’s a car chase, it’s a ticking bomb, it’s a plane without a pilot.
And we all love it. I love it. Because it’s childish, it entertains the child in us, the adolescent. Heck, the squirrel in us who loves bright shiny objects.
Or, hey, let’s put it this way. We invest a lot of time, money, and emotion in watching NBA basketball, and are we really rewarded for that if Bill Wennington gets the big dunk to win the game, even if it was from a Jordan assist? I just tried to find that play on youtube and was only able to find an animated representation of it.
Hm.
So I’m just thinking, for 47 minutes the NBA game is about basketball, and the last 1 minute is often just an X-Games thrill ride.”
My childhood is littered with his influence from the Simpsons to all the late nights where the TV was on while I was doing whatever I was doing. I can’t say I’ve been his greatest fan but his face and voice has filled my room enough for me to miss it when it’s gone.
As if all his credentials and particular comedic genius weren’t enough to grant him a media icon, the recent drama and his bold stand ensured his iconic status purely by making him hero in a media tragedy. I wish him an amazing future and will surely miss him.
A great goodbye. [the embedding of this video was restricted so i give you a link]
Today by any standard was a fairly pleasant and productive day. I tried a new restaurant with my Mom and the food was great. I had a good work out. I finished a good book. All of this was nice. Nice except for the fact that I spent two and a half hours at the podiatrist office getting a MRI and finding out the bad news.
Since my previous doctor (Sunrise Medicare in Orange) took the wrong x-rays and misdiagnosed my foot, I spent two months NOT TREATING my injuries which includes a dislocation, a minor fracture, and a torn ligament. That’s already close to a thousand dollars down the drain right there. Now I’m going to have to get surgery to fix those problem and it’s going to be another two to three months before i can bear weight on my foot again. To add more salt, I have to process this through the insurance company and wait on their approval, which they can deny and delay the process indefinitely. I am hoping that we can get this going ASAP. I don’t want to wait any length of time to start my waiting for two to three months.
Okay, I am done complaining. Its a futile exercise
2010 started off a little rough, and among the many obstacles a person may face in a life time. My current situation is hardly a tragedy. All the things I was looking forward to this year will still come… just later. And with all this time that I have to nurse and heal this injury, I am determined to take this time to turn myself into a much better person and be more productive than I knew possible.
This post was more for me than for you. Its a declaration that I am making to myself.
Due to my ongoing injuries, my activities are fairly limited but tonight I got to try something I’ve been wanting to for a while now. BIKRAM YOGA! I did a bit of research and the amount of positives ranging from the healing powers and it’s spiritual powers are pretty amazing. Quest’s very own Brian Hirano is a student of it and I tagged along tonight. Thank you my BEST (kickin it with Kelsey), Brits (wrangler from ABDC), Lindsey and her boyfriend for coming and experiencing our first night of hot and steamy-ness together.
The room was on fire when I first walked in. An intense ninety minutes of twenty six poses and then the breath of fresh air hits you like a waterfall… it was a great forty minute drive home afterward. I highly recommend a try.
I’m not sure how many of you guys follow the Lakers or are Kobe fans, but I was stoked to find out that the Quest Crew (thank you Nike!) was invited to take part and perform for Kobe’s new shoe release yesterday. Its a little sad that I couldn’t take part in the performance but I was just as glad to be in the audience with my super prime seats and be a fan to both Kobe and Quest. I was definitely the loudest person cheering for my boys in the audience.
Kobe’s reserved personality was obvious especially next to George Lopez (host) with his super animated self. But always the promoter, he got through it politely and it was just cool to see him. I’m sure with the broken finger, the back spasm and a short losing streak, I’m sure he’s got lots of other things he rather be doing than PR.
The Q rocked the house as always. We had a three part performance adding some extra flavor to promote the new shoe. Which by the way is super legit, we all got a pair and just wearing it makes me feel like picking up a ball. Basketball was my first love before I traded in for dance and its been years now since I’ve been able to dribble without looking at the ball.
I’ve been injured and out of commission for almost two months now. I’ve lost close to ten pounds and this is the longest I’ve gone without dance training or fitness since as long as I can remember. As I am beginning to kick myself back into shape, this motivated me.
Steve Nash: Starting point guard for the Phoenix Suns. He is not the tallest, strongest, fastest or even the smartest player in the NBA. Despite that, he is a five time all star and was also a league MVP.
