Archives

Song of the Week
[ 6-21-01 ][ 4:10 p.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

Man, am I just on an updating spree or what?

"... Soft swerve sugar on the asphalt.
Our hearts littering the topsoil.
Tune in and we can get the last call.
Our lives are cold ..."

--> Click! <--

Since I'm on the topic of music, I might as well spew about a few albums I got:

Blink 182's Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (TOYPAJ) sounds like generic Blink all the way through. Some happy go lucky songs (The Rock Show), some outright silly songs (Happy Holidays You Bastard), and a couple of serious ones (Stay Together For the Kids). And hey, who's to blame them for sticking to a formula that works? At first listening, I wrote it off as underwhelming. A couple more spins, though, their frantic guitar riffs catch on to me and their lyrics get clearer. Basically, it's good ol' traditional power punk/pop, and if that's your musical avenue of choice, then TOYPAJ is the road to take.

Weezer's Green Album hails back to their double platinum debut success. "Optimistic power pop" is what one reviewer calls it. Secretly, I must admit I like Pinkerton better, a nod to introspective emo music that unfortunately wasn't embraced by the public. Regardless, they're still an awesome band, and the Green Album proves their versatility. For unadulterated geek rock, Weezer's the best in my book.

Well, this ought to be my last update for about a week. Royal Caribbean International awaits... =)

Movies Galore
[ 6-20-01 ][ 10:42 a.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

"The movie itself caters heavily to import car enthusiasts, or at the very least, people who appreciate the adrenaline pumping power that a turbo-charged NOS engine provides..."

"I think it's safe to say, 'Sorry Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer.' PEARL HARBOR was not a bad movie at all ... PEARL HARBOR needs to be compared more w/ TITANIC than SAVING PRIVATE RYAN..."

Didn't write a full blown review for Tomb Raider, since I'm fairly certain what I say in it won't sway your decision to watch this blockbuster one way or the other. In a nutshell, it was a letdown. What you get is a cliche'd storyline full of incoherent scenes and cheesy moments that will make you groan. Then again, who didn't see it coming? There were flashes of brilliances occasionally, though. Some of the early action was awesome, and a couple dead panned jokes were worth a chuckle. Plus, Angelina Jolie was a flame thrower. She charismatically carried what the script gave her on her back valiently. It's a C movie, dangling near the C- ledge. An A+ babe, though. ;)

Phantom Menace DVD
[ 6-19-01 ][ 4:51 p.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

It's coming... Click!

This DVD was the one that I have been waiting for. When I assembled my computer from scratch two years ago, I bought a first generation DVD-ROM just for the impending release of the Phantom Menace DVD. Later, rumors floated around that it wasn't going to be out until Lucas Films releases its "definitive collection". Ack. Much to my delight those rumors have been laid to rest from the link I got from Gerry this morning.

W00p! =)

Beginner's Guitar Tutorial
[ 6-17-01 ][ 8:14 p.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

So who's up for some guitar playing? =) It's a lot easier than it may seem.

--> Click! <--

Oh, and a big hefty congratulations to the L.A. Lakers for kicking mad booty throughout the playoffs. Three-peat next year? Not if Mike has anything to say about it... He'll be back. Watch.

15-1 in playoffs, baby. Shaq was Finals MVP.

"We ain't got a ring, but we got each other."

The Sixers deserve so much credit for going so far this season. Not a soul outside Philadelphia even gave them a chance at the beginning of the season. Even our own Gerry Wang's 2000-2001 NBA Season Preview article predicted the Sixers to end up 4th in the Atlantic Division, behind the Knicks, Heat, and Magic. And that's with all the injuries they've sustained all season long. Those guys are tenacious fighters, and champions as well in their own rights.

Sproul 4 South: Curtains
[ 6-16-01 ][ 6:34 p.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

"And so my children, it is time to close the book. There will be other days, and other stories, but this tale is finished."

Thanks for the vivid memories. See you all around.

Evolution
[ 6-13-01 ][ 11:57 p.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

"... EVOLUTION was a movie w/ great promise that simply needed a polish to become a sci-fi GHOSTBUSTERS-like franchise. All the elements are there ..."

Gerry's back, guys. Go read, laugh, and enjoy... just like the good ol' days. =) Cheers.

Around The Rice
[ 6-10-01 ][ 5:03 a.m. pst ][ By Rice ]

I was working on a review for The Animal, starring Rob Schneider, but I'm suffering from a serious case of writer's block, so I canned it. That's probably because there isn't much to talk about regarding the movie. It's basically a silly slapstick that relies completely on Schneider's physical comedic talents. Funnel that through a generic "I just want to be accepted" plot and you have The Animal. The funniest moments have already been given away via the trailer, except the hilarious cameo's at the film's anti-climatic end. Survivor's Colleen Haskell has a cute smile... but that's the extent of her acting skills. A solid C for both the movie and the babes.

There you go. Movie review in a shrinkwrap. =)

Sigh. The perks of an acting career...

I also had the privilege to watch an advanced screening of The Fast and the Furious, starring Vin "Badass" Diesel, thanks to a promotion at UCLA. Even got to see the fella' live, too. He ain't so tough. I can out-arm wrestle him.... uh, yeah, anyways. Once this infuriating writer's block leaves me, I'll post a review.

In other happenings... I've been addicted to the guitar for the past few weeks. So much so that I'm writing a little tutorial for those that are interested in getting started, complete with a sample song to start learning with. Keep in mind I'm still a beginner myself, so this is just to help you to get over the hardest part, which is mustering the dedication to start off. I'll probably get this thing done before the Fast and the Furious review, because this doesn't require any analytical writing. =)

My last final is Wednesday. So much better than last year's schedule which rendered me on campus until my last final, which was scheduled at the latest possible time-slot: 3 - 6 p.m. Friday afternoon. By then, my roommates have long bolted the dorm for greener pastures, and as I made my way to the exam, I could almost see dust and tumbleweeds fly across my path as if I was in a deserted town. It was then when I made the resolution to avoid Friday finals if at all possible when selecting my classes.

So my year in review? More positive than negative. The two forces have clashed, but I think I've learned it's important to always come out of any situation or circumstance smiling with the satisfaction that you've gained what was good, and discarded what was bad. That includes my dorming experience, which has been drastically different from my secluded Sunset Village of last year. A year of privacy and occasional loneliness has been followed by a year of mayhem and complete lack of anything resembling peace and quiet.

I'm a private person by nature, sometimes intensely so, and it's been an eye-opener to have to share a large part of who I am to 60 or so people in a residential hall. I've formed a few relationships, some annoying ones, some rather odd ones, but all of them good ones. The social aspect of my personality was essentially reborn this school year due to these interactions. I've learned a lot of lessons, and I can conclude that I would not have traded my experience this year for anything else simply because, in RPG terms, I've earned a +1 to my wisdom level. That's something that would not have happened had I repeated living in solitude. It would just have been a rehash of what I already knew.

*Update: The rest of this article-esque post has been relegated to the articles section as "My Case For Christ". Sorry... this update got a little long winded. =P

Thanks, if you've read up till here. For me, it's now time to crash into bed. Cheers.