Decisions

I am torn between various things that I can be doing right now:

1- I can go to sleep: It's way past midnight, but that never really stopped me from sharing some awake-time with the vampires. Having said that, I know that I need some quality sleep in my own bed after a couple of months of family reunions.

2- I can think about the stuff that keeps me awake: This mainly corresponds to the phone conversation that woke me up from blissful sleep in the first place. And what that conversation meant. A huge change might be coming and I'm not looking forward to it.

3- I could be watching an episode of "Deadwood" or Labyrinth of Passions: both intriguing propositions, but I may be too tired or distracted to watch anything.

4- I could write: Actually I am doing that already. What I specifically mean is to finish up the novel that I am yet to start. I have a feeling, though, that it would be intensely autobiographical and I hate biographies in general.

5- I could surf the net: It's easy, fun (well, sort of) and it can lead me to some uncharted territories.

6- Porn: Always a good option, but I'm not sure I'm in the mood for that either.

I'm screwed.

Peace.

Because I Can

Because I can, I compiled a list of my top 100 favourite bands. Because I am "between jobs", I can carry out tasks as fruitless as this without jeopardizing my so-called life. Because I can be a prick sometimes, this took me two days of intense internal debates whether Primus or Starsailor should make the top 100. Because there are so many bands that I like (I'm a whore like that), I decided to make a second list: the other top 100 favourite bands. Because I like a good spoiler, Primus ended up at the lesser list.

Because I started all the previous sentences thus, I will explain my method in a similar fashion. Because my computer is still being held hostage in the States, I used MyPod to compile the list of the bands that I like, a la Facebook thumbs up button thingy. Because the original was exhausting, I trimmed it down to about 174. Because I needed 100 bands, I took out 74 bands that sadly couldn't make it. Because I had a surplus of 74 rather very good bands, I added 26 to make a second list.

Because you have been reading thus far, I present you with my top 100 favourite bands, followed by the second 100. Because I still need to do other things in life, I only have an alphabetical list. Because I would want to perfect this fruitless exercise, I might actually put them in an order in the days to come. Because you can, watch this space.

Top 100 (because they are awesome)

AC/DC - Melbourne, Australia
AEROSMITH - Boston, MA
AGALLOCH - Portland, OR
ALICE IN CHAINS - Seattle, WA
AMORPHIS - Helsinki, Finland
ANTHRAX - New York, NY
AUDIOSLAVE - Los Angeles, CA
BAD RELIGION - Woodland Hills, CA
THE BLACK CROWES - Atlanta, GA
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - Los Angeles, CA
BLACK SABBATH - Birmingham, England
BLUE OYSTER CULT - New York, NY
CAT STEVENS - London, England
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - Melbourne, Australia
CLUTCH - Germantown, MD
COHEED & CAMBRIA - Woodstock, NY
CHRIS CORNELL - Seattle, WA
COUNTING CROWS - San Francisco, CA
DEEP PURPLE - London, England
BRUCE DICKINSON - Worksop, England
DREAM THEATER - New York, NY
EUROPE - Upplands Vasby, Sweden
EXODUS - San Francisco, CA
FAITH NO MORE - San Francisco, CA
FLEETWOOD MAC - London, England
GREEN DAY - East Bay, CA
GUNS N'ROSES - Hollywood, CA
HEART - Seattle, WA
IN FLAMES - Gothenburg, Sweden
IRON MAIDEN - London, England
ISIS - Boston, MA
THE JAYHAWKS - Minneapolis, MN
JETHRO TULL - Blackpool, England
JUDAS PRIEST - Birmingham, England
KING CRIMSON - London, England
KING'S X - Springfield, MO
KITARO - Toyohashi, Japan
KYUSS - Palm Desert, CA
LED ZEPPELIN - London, England
HALUK LEVENT - Adana, Turkey
LINKIN PARK - Aguora Hills, CA
ZULFU LIVANELI - Ilgin, Turkey
LIVE - York, PA
LYNYRD SKYNYRD - Jacksonville, FL
BARIS MANCO - Turkey
MANIC STREET PREACHERS - Blackwood, Wales
MANOWAR - Auburn, NY
THE MARS VOLTA - Albuquerque, NM
MASTODON - Atlanta, GA
LOREENA MCKENNITT - Morden, Canada
MEGADETH - San Francisco, CA
METAL CHURCH - Seattle, WA
METALLICA - Los Angeles, CA
MEZARKABUL - Istanbul, Turkey
MFO - Turkey
MOTHER LOVE BONE - Seattle, WA
MOTORHEAD - London, England
MUSE - Teignmouth, England
NIGHTWISH - Kitee, Finland
NIRVANA - Seattle, WA
THE OFFSPRING - Huntington Beach, CA
OPETH - Stockholm, Sweden
OZZY OSBOURNE - Aston, England
PANTERA - Arlinton, TX
PARADISE LOST - Halifax, England
PEARL JAM - Seattle, WA
PINK FLOYD - Cambridge, England
PORCUPINE TREE - Hemel Hempstead, England
PURE REASON REVOLUTION - Reading, England
QUEEN - London, England
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - Palm Desert, CA
QUEENSRYCHE - Seattle, WA
R.E.M. - Athens, GA
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - Los Angeles, CA
RAINBOW - London, England
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - Los Angeles, CA
ROXETTE - Halmstad, Sweden
SCORPIONS - Hanover, Germany
SEPULTURA - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
SIMON & GARFUNKEL - New York, NY
SKID ROW - Toms River, NJ
SLAYER - Huntington Beach, CA
SMASHING PUMPKINS - Chicago, IL
SOUNDGARDEN - Seattle, WA
STARSAILOR - Chorley, England
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS - San Diego, CA
STRATOVARIUS - Helsinki, Finland
SYSTEM OF A DOWN - Glendale, CA
TEMPLE OF THE DOG - Seattle, WA
TESTAMENT - Oakland, CA
THERAPY? - Belfast, Northern Ireland
THR3E - Woodstock, NY
TOOL - Los Angeles, CA
URIAH HEEP - London, England
W.A.S.P. - Los Angeles, CA
WARRIOR SOUL - New York, NY
WEEZER - Los Angeles, CA
WHITESNAKE - London, England
YOUNG HEART ATTACK - Austin, TX
NEIL YOUNG - Toronto, Canada

The Other Top 100 (because They aren't that awesome)

3 HUREL - Trabzon, Turkey
ALCHEMIST - Canberra, Australia
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - Macon, GA
ALTER BRIDGE - Orlando, FL
AMON AMARTH - Tumba, Sweden
ANGEL WITCH - London, England
THE ANSWER - Belfast, Northern Ireland
ASTRA - San Diego, CA
AUDREY HORNE - Oslo, Norway
BAD BRAINS - Washington DC
BAYSIDE - Long Island, NY
BLACK STONE CHERRY - Edmonton, KY
BLIND GUARDIAN - Krefeld, Germany
BLUR - London, England
JOE BONAMASSA - Utica, NY
BRAND NEW - Long Island, NY
CAPTAIN BEYOND - Los Angeles, CA
CHILDREN OF BODOM - Espoo, Finland
CHIMAIRA - Cleveland, OH
CKY - West Chester, PA
ERIC CLAPTON - Ripley, England
CREAM - London, England
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - El Cerrito, CA
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX - England
PACO DE LUCIA - Cadiz, Spain
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Bellingham, WA
DEF LEPPARD - Sheffield, England
DEMOLITION HAMMER - New York, NY
DINOSAUR, JR. - Amherst, MA
DIO - New York, NY
DISTURBED - Chicago, IL
THE DOORS - Los Angeles, CA
DOWN - New Orleans, LA
EAGLE EYE CHERRY - Stockholm, Sweden
EAGLES OF DEATH METAL - Palm Desert, CA
FATES WARNING - Hartford, CT
FLOTSAM & JETSAM - Phoenix, AZ
FOO FIGHTERS - Seattle, WA
JOHN FRUSCIANTE - New York, NY
GIRLSCHOOL - London, England
HARDCORE SUPERSTAR - Gothenburg, Sweden
HAZY MALAZE - New Jersey
HEAD CONTROL SYSTEM - Norway & Portugal
JIMI HENDRIX - Seattle, WA
GLENN HUGHES - Cannock, England
MICHAEL JACKSON - Gary, IN
JET - Melbourne, Australia
GARY JULES - Fresno, CA
CEM KARACA - Turkey
KASABIAN - Bloby, England
KATATONIA - Stockholm, Sweden
THE KILLERS - Las Vegas, NV
KINGS OF LEON - Nashville, TN
KISS - New York, NY
KORN - Bakersfield, CA
LAMB OF GOD - Richmond, VA
LOVE - Los Angeles, CA
MAGNUM - Birmingham, England
MARILLION - Aylesbury, England
BOB MARLEY - Saint Ann, Jamaica
MEAT LOAF - Dallas, TX
MESHUGGAH - Umea, Sweden
THE MISFITS - Lodi, NJ
MOGOLLAR - Ankara, Turkey
MOONSORROW - Helsinki, Finland
MOSTLY AUTUMN -York, England
MOTLEY CRUE - Los Angeles, CA
NEKROPSI - Istanbul, Turkey
OASIS - Manchester, England
MIKE OLDFIELD - Reading, England
ONSLAUGHT - Bristol, England
ORDINARY PSYCHO - England
P.O.D. - San Diego, CA
PAIN OF SALVATION - Eskilstuna, Sweden
TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS - Gainesville, FL
PIXIES - Boston, MA
ROBERT PLANT - West Bromwich, England
PRIESTESS - Montreal, Canada
PRIMUS - El Cobrante, CA
PRINCE - Minneapolis, MN
THE PRODIGY - Braintree, England
PULP - Sheffield, England
RADIOHEAD - Oxford, England
RATT - San Diego, CA
RIGOR MORTIS - Texas
RISE AGAINST - Chicago, IL
RUSH - Toronto, Canada
SAVATAGE - Tarpon Springs, FL
SAXON - Barnsley, England
SKYCLAD - England
SOULFLY - Phoenix, AZ
STEVE MILLER BAND - San Francisco, CA
TESLA - Sacramento, CA
THE SWORD - Austin, TX
THERION - Upplands Vasby, Sweden
TRIVIUM - Orlando, FL
WILCO - Chicago, IL
WITHIN TEMPTATION - The Netherlands
WOLFMOTHER - Sydney, Australia

Because I just did.

IMAX - Is It Worth It?

After reading about Aziz Ansari's rant regarding the discrepancies between the real IMAX theaters and the fake ones, I couldn't help but agree with his comments. In recent months I have watched two feature films in IMAX format: Watchmen and Star Trek in two different theaters in two different countries. The Watchmen experience was actually pretty good - the screen was bigger than any of the regular theater screens I had seen until then. And the sound was immaculate as expected from the format. However, the experience wasn't the same with Star Trek.

Now, I've had some issues with the new Star Trek in general and the size of the screen had nothing to do with that. Nevertheless, seeing the screen not being that big was a bit of a disappointment. I guess I wasn't paying too much attention, but it looks like the chains can actually be ripping us off when they overcharge us for IMAX tickets.

A solution to this problem could be if the chains actually promote their theaters to be digital IMAX rather than film-based IMAX (the latter has the giant screens, while the former has only slighly larger screens). I would then be a very happy customer indeed.

Still, it wouldn't have helped Star Trek. Just saying.

Peace.

The Series of a Lifetime

We were expecting the amazing and amazing is what happened. We throw away the word around for a lot of things, but this is one of those things that truly and well deserves the "amazing" tag.

As a Celtics fan, of course I want the Green to prevail, but I feel priviliged to actually be a witness for this series of a lifetime. It is even suggested that the series should be extended. I want to go one further - let this series be independent of the NBA Championship. Let them play on and on until there are no more flagrant fouls to give or energy to spare.

I cannot wait for Game 7 - it is going to be a classic. However, I have a feeling - and I'm completely impartial here (!) - it's either going to be a repeat of what we have seen so far, or a repeat of Game 3. Actually, come to think of it, I think I would like the Championship more.

Peace.

What I've Been Drawn

As some of you might have already picked it up, I'm not much of a believer myself. The idea that a cosmic regulator never really sat well with me. Especially when you consider that once you give in to the notion of a creator, you take away your free will to a pre-destined life that you have no control of.

Life is strange, though. No matter how you seem to be incontrol of it, there are always things that happen beyond your control. I actually think failing is a much better option than accepting your "fate". When you fail, you learn from your mistakes and you make sure that the same thing never happens again. However, when life puts before you an undesirable circumstance, you have no choice but to wallow in misery.

That happened to me recently. Things progressed beyond my abilities to prevent them and I am feeling the consequences of that situation. More of that will sure to come my way. And here's my point: are these unforeseen circumstances pre-destined, or do they just happen?

It is very easy to succumb to the ignorant bliss of assigning all these to a cosmic saga, but I'm still not convinced. If this is my fate, and if my creator would rather have me go through these dire circumstances, what is the point? Why do I have to suffer to appreciate what I am assuming to be positive things that would come out of this? Can we all just live in peace and harmony?

If it's not destiny, or fate, then what is it? It is pure coincidence. There can be no other explanation. I would rather fail at something, but if I am destined to fail, then I don't want that. In that case I would rather have cosmic coincidence dictating my life than someone deciding for me.

Peace.

Something to Do

I am bored. It is Saturday night and I can't think of one thing to do. Yes, I am new in Portland and my social circle isn't as large as I hope it would have been by now. Regardless, I have always prided myself not to always depend on a social circle to enjoy life (read loner). The problem isn't the lack of people to do stuff with, or the lack of actual stuff to do - Portland offers both in abundance.

I think the main issue is that I am at a point in my life when my routine has become mundane. It is a sad state of affairs. I feel like there is a lot missing in my life and I can't seem to find the things to fill that void. I have no idea how this can be remedied in the near future, but bleak few weeks seems like the order of the day.

Well, I don't usually do introspective blogs such as this, but it is 6:12 pm PT, Saturday evening, the skies are clear ... and I need something to do. I am itching.

Peace.

Another Playlist

It's time for another Awesome Playlist - it was long overdue ...

(alphabetical by artist)

Walk This Way by Aerosmith: Because it's a  classic.

A Celebration for the Death of Man ... by Agalloch: Because I like to support local music.

Evolution 1 - The Bio Approach by Alchemist: Because I still haven't heard anybody like them.

In the Beginning by Amorphis: Because it takes me back.

S.S.C / Stand Or Fall by Anthrax: Because I love thrash.

Afterglow by Audrey Horne: Because I still find gems on this album.

Master of Confusion by Blood Ceremony: Because the '60s are, like, back ... man.


Inertias Cave by Cathedral: Because heavy-ass riffin' is awesome.

The Soapmakers by Clutch: Because they are simply brilliant.

Wasted Years by Damone: Because I never realized that this song had this much depth before.

Steal the Crown by Death Angel: Because old school thrash can re-invent itself.

Let Me out  by Electric Mary: Because it has a great groove.


Guardian by Fates Warning: Because I appreciate musicianship.

Lost in Confusion by Graveyard: Because I feel like I am lost in the space-time continuum.

We Are Finding Who We Are by King's X: Because they keep surprising me.

Hold Me up by Live: Because it reminds me how amazing they were once.

Bridge of Death by Manowar: Because they are here to blow our speakers.

Seabeast by Mastodon: Because I need to clean my ear cavity before their new album is out.

Watch the Children Pray by Metal Church: Because they defy all expectations.

Destroyer of Worlds by Onslaught: Because Brits can do thrash too.

Would? by Opeth: Because they do covers better than anyone else.

Enchantment by Paradise Lost: Because I can't stop playing it over and over and over and over again.

Shake Your Blood by Probot: Because Lemmy is singing.

Disco 2000 by Pulp: Because it is possible to write good pop songs.

Wizard of Gore by Rigor Mortis: Because thrash can be a versatile genre ... really.

Slaughter for the Sacrifice God by Skeletonwitch: Because this band deserves to get bigger.

She's Gone by Steelheart: Because he can sing, man.

The Frost-Giant's Daughter by The Sword: Because the riff ain't dead yet.


Swiss Grid by Turing Machine: Because music sometimes speaks louder than words.

Munki by Young Heart Attack: Because I still think these guys are the best band out there.

Globes of the Golden Conviction

The first big awards ceremony of the season is upon us and it's time for Yours Truly to make his predictions. The same rules apply like last year: predictions are only made in categories where I have seen at least three of the nominees. There are two predictions for each category: those who, in my opinion, should win and those who probably will win tonight.

BEST MOTION PICTURE DRAMA
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: An award-worthy film in every sense of the term. After seeing this film, I am convinced that it will be a one-horse race.
- Frost / Nixon: This also smells of awards - and deservedly so - but it doesn't go that much beyond a filmed play, which could be its downfall.
- The Reader: Holocaust-themed movies always do well in awards, but this one left me a bit short-changed with its early climax.
- Revolutionary Road: A flawless film with flawless performances, but it's not an experience I would like to repeat again - it is too dark to be a winner, unfortunately.
- Slumdog Millionaire: This year's pseudo-Indie hit is the definitive feelgood film with great performances and directing.

My heart says ... Slumdog Millionaire
My brain says ...The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
- Burn After Reading: Coens' are back to their prime and with a big-name cast they delivered a very solid effort.
- Happy-Go-Lucky: You argue whether this film could have been as good without Sally Hawkins, but either way it was a brilliantly written and directed film.
- In Bruges: This refreshingly un-PC comedy ticked all the boxes and was also emotionally satisfying too.
- Mamma Mia!: I haven't seen it and, frankly, I have no intention to see it in the near future.
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Sadly, I missed this in the theaters.

My heart says ... Happy-Go-Lucky
My brain says ... Mamma Mia!

BEST ACTOR MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
- Leonardo DiCaprio for Revolutionary Road: Another solid performance from Leo, where the intensity we have got used to lately is up to 11.
- Frank Langella for Frost / Nixon: It's to Langella's credit that he doesn't succumb to parody, but we are often reminded ourselves that he is playing a real-life character rather than "being" one.
- Sean Penn for Milk: Penn manages to make the role his and hides successfully behind the real person.
- Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Perhaps Pitt's most award-worthy performance that sees him play the different ages of the titular character note-perfect.
- Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler: This isn't  out yet in Portland.

My heart says ... Leonardo DiCaprio
My brain says ... Mickey Rourke

BEST ACTRESS MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
- Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married: I haven't seen this yet.
- Angelina Joley for Changeling: This is the first time I was impressed with Jolie's acting, but she is trying WAY too hard here.
- Meryl Streep for Doubt: Streep, once again, proves that she can nail any role she tackles.
- Kristin Scott Thomas for I've Loved You So Long: A brilliant performance from the ever-so-reliable Thomas, she reaches an emotional intensity unlike anyone I've seen this year. A sublime performance.
- Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road: Kate Winslet is set to be the most-nominated actress ever if she keeps this up. Another great turn by her.

My heart says ... Kristin Scott Thomas
My brain says ... Kate Winslet

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Tom Cruise for Tropic Thunder: The Cruiser re-iterates what a good actor he can be when given good material. Hilarious.
- Robert Downey, Jr. for Tropic Thunder: The year of the Downey comes to a close and "you people" embraces him with both arms open wide.
- Ralph Fiennes for The Duchess: I haven't seen it, but knowing that Fiennes is always brilliant gives me an idea.
- Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt: "The Greatest Actor of  His Generation" is at it again - his Father Flynn is as enigmatic a character as can be.
- Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight: It's hard to gauge this role with hindsight, but a fantastic performance regardless of what happened.

My heart ... Heath Ledger
My brain says ... Heath Ledger

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Amy Adams for Doubt: Perhaps the best casting decision of the year sees Adams' innocence clash with the unthinkable.
- Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Now I really regret not seeing this!
- Viola Davis for Doubt: More a cameo than an actual part, Davis comes thumbs up in the most powerful scene in the film.
- Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler: Tomei as a stripper ... I say "Hell, yeah!!"
- Kate Winslet for The Reader: Winslet is the shining star of this dull drama and she nails the accent too.

My heart says ... Kate Winslet
My brain says ... Viola Davis

BEST DIRECTOR
- Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire: Boyle is the master of every genre and he comes up victorious from this one too.
- Stephen Daldry for The Reader: Daldry's third feature had everything going for it, except for a more consistent script.
- David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: This is a very conventional story in an unconventional director's hand he does a fantastic job of it.
- Ron Howard for Frost / Nixon: Howard is always nominated for his "safe" directorial style and this is no different.
- Sam Mendes for Revolutionary Road: Mendes is at his best once again, he carves out a film out of an unfilmable story.

My heart says ... David Fincher
My brain says ... David Fincher

BEST SCREENPLAY
- Eric Roth and Robin Swicord for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: They took a lot from Roth's own Forest Gump, so the credit should go to F. Scott Fitzgerald for the idea.
- John Patrick Shanley for Doubt: As far as dialog goes, it has no peers.
- Peter Morgan for Frost / Nixon: Morgan's latest shines when the titular characters aren't facing off each other.
- David Hare for The Reader: I am a little disappointed, considering what Hare can be capable of.
- Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire: Kudos to Beaufoy for not falling into a trap by making this an episodic drama.

My heart says ... John Patrick Shanley
My brain says ...John Patrick Shanley

I'm not predicting any television categories, because I don't religiously watch any TV shows while they are on.

Peace.

The New Year

To say that 2008 has been a frustrating one for me is a huge understatement. It has been stressful, full of compromises, and huge life decisions whose results haven't been confirmed as the right ones just yet. If I am grateful about one thing about 2008 is that it was a healthy year.

There is nothing I can do but be hopeful about the new year. I strongly believe that it will be a better year all in all. The dire financial situation obviously affected Yours Truly as well and the effects have hit home a lot harder than I thought imaginable.

I am not a spiritualist person and I have a sincere disdain against religious dogma. There have been moments when I thought maybe my beliefs, or lack thereof, was responsible for the unfortunate situations I had to face this year. This is not a piece of repentance, but an honest confession, if you will, about how I felt. I feel somebody has been punishing me for what I don't know. I don't necessarily believe in karma - I think it is nothing but glorified coincidence.

"Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things." These words were uttered by Red in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - a film that many hold close to heart. I am no different. Perhaps, that's what makes us humans go forward, because when facing everything that life throws at them, it is surprising that an infinitesimal proportion of human population resort to suicide. I want to take this chance to be selfish and wish a better year in every way for myself and my loved ones. Then I would like to extend that wish to everyone else. I already feel bad about this statement, but you need a little bit of that selfish gene to really survive.

It is a futile attempt to expect things to improve after an astronomical event that is the beginning of a new cycle of the Earth rotating around the Sun. If things really do improve without any sort of interference on my part, then the result is again coincidence. So, I am aware that I need to make a lot of changes in myself to make things improve.

I present you - in no particular order or importance - my New Year's Resolutions:

- be more pro-active in life: there is so much more this world has to offer and I need to learn to pry them out of wherever they are hiding. If things need to get done, they need a catalyst. And who is a better catalyst than me?

- be more understanding: I have always prided myself to be person that values tolerance above all other human virtues, but this year I have seen that concept dwindling. In order to have a positive attitude about things, I need that tolerance level back up to speed.

- take more responsibilities: I have grown immensely over the last few years and that brings a lot more responsibilities that are a little more serious in their level of importance than the ones back in college. I need to tackle those responsibilities head-on and make sure to carry them out accordingly.

- be more creative: this is something that has been lacking in 2008. The main reason, I believe, was my preoccupation with a lot of other external conflicts I needed to resolve. I believe this particular resolution can only be feasible with the proper application of the preceding resolutions. Hence, I'll get back to you on this one.

- lose more weight: it is a time-honored cliche to have this resolution on your list. I have shed 30 pounds this year, but over the last couple of months I seem to have put some of them back on. In order to be realistically healthy, I need to get back on the treadmill and shed those fatty tissues once again.

I pledge, with my hand on my conscience and mind, that I will carry out these resolutions. Because, if not, then this year will be a very, very bad one indeed.

Peace.

Christmas and the Blizzard

It's great news that the Holiday season is over. I don't want to give you an impression that I detest the festivities that are associated with the end of the year, but I am glad that the irritating TV commercials and the excruciating Xmas songs are about a year away from us. I do like, however, the camaraderie and the familial occasions the Holiday seasons bring. This year I spent the Christmas with my girlfriend's family in Alabama and it was great fun - good food, good beer, fantastic weather, and a chance to spend some quality time with my girlfriend. Sadly, I won't be able to see my parents this year for the New Year's because I have to work.

I had been waiting for this vacation for quite some time and I was very excited the last few days preceding the trip. However, the Mother Nature played a nasty part in the proceedings and made sure that my outbound trip was as difficult as can be. As you know, the Northwest suffered its worst winter storm in over a hundred years. About ten days prior to my departure, the storm came and the city shut down immediately. These kind of storms are a rare occasion, apparently, and the city is not prepared for it. The temperatures remained low and it continued to snow on and off for a week. Needless to say, the roads were covered in ice and with drivers unable to manouever their Subarus.

Then I found out that there was another big system expected in the area for the weekend of the Sunday I was to leave. The storm came and everything shut down once again - flights were cancelled, roads were closed ... utter chaos. My flight was cancelled - no surprise there - but I managed to find a seat on a flight leaving on Monday. All in all I was to lose only way day. Not too bad, right?

Well, it continued to snow on Sunday night and there was a foot of snow on the roads around the Portland area. A friend I am staying with was going to give me a ride, but the car didn't even make it out of the driveway. So, I picked up my bag and started walking to the bus stop. I had a good 4-5 hours before my flight. Severely underdressed, I walked on the road covered with snow almost up to my knees with my luggage. I was waiting at the bus stop when a lady told me that the buses were taking the snow route. We walked together to the main road. In about 10-15 minutes the bus arrived. I was actually relieved.

The bus was going about 10 mph, passing by cars and other buses stuck on side streets of this part of Portland, which is very hilly. As we were halfway to downtown, the chains broke. Great. Luckily, though, there was another bus behind us. This new bus dropped me off at the intersection with the lightrail that would take me to the airport. When I got there, a representative from the transportation authority of the city told me that the line going to the airport wasn't working. I was to take the only train that's working up to a certain point, then take the shuttle. So far, so good.

I waited in the cold, with tens of other people, for an hour and a half  for the packed train to come. We all squeezed in like sardines. As the train stopped at various stops, you could see the disappointed faces of the passengers waiting on the platform when they saw the packed train. All in all, it took about 30-45 minutes to the station where the shuttle buses were waiting.

I got off - with the majority of the passengers - and proceeded to the rather long line for the bus. It was colder in this part of town. I estimated that I would get on the second bus. Two buses came and stopped about 10 yards from us. A lady from the City got on and started talking to the driver. Here we are, freezing our backsides numb, and they are talking away. that wasn't the worst part though. When their little chit-chat was over, the bus started moving and drove to the end of the line thinking it was the front. You can only imagine what happened then - people shouting, obscenities flying about, Yours Truly running across the tracks, snow up to his knees ... I can't really describe how I felt, but it wasn't pretty. Besides, by this point, I had lost feeling in my feet.

Anyway, after another hour or so, two more buses came and I managed to climb my way over people to get on the second one. I was running late - only half an hour before departure - but  I knew my flight was delayed. When I got to the airport, I learned that my flight was cancelled. Great. As the check-in lady was trying to put me on another flight, news came that they reinstated my original flight. Good news. However, there was no timeline. I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of Portland. I was going to miss my connection to Mobile. She told me that all the other flights to Mobile and surrounding airports were fully booked - I might get stuck in Houston for a couple of days. I still wanted to go.

There were two more delayed flights to Houston before mine and the first one departed a few minutes after I got through security. Then they started boarding the second flight. On the departures boards, my flight was listed as "delayed indefinitely". So, I went to the Powell's bookstore at the airport - very poor - and when I came back with Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" - horrible - I saw that the line by the gate was small but the flight was still there. I decided to try my luck again for my connecting flight. When I approached the gate I saw that it was the same lady from before. She took a look at my boarding pass and told me to get on this flight and sit wherever I wanted. What?! Lo and behold, I got on the plane and picked a random seat - they wouldn't let me sit in First Class - and off we went. I couldn't believe my luck, especially when I found out next day that all the flights out of Portland after ours were cancelled.

We arrived at Houston and went straight to the customer service desk. There was a long line and I waited a good two hours before talking to an agent. Actually, things went very smoothly and he confirmed for the first flight to Mobile next morning. He also told me that, because my flight out of Portland was cancelled, my return flight was automatically cancelled too. I had no idea. He sorted that out too. I went to a very dirty and dilapidated hotel at the airport and slept for five hours before waking up next morning for my flight. Needless to say, that flight was delayed too.

I got in to Mobile around noon. My drama wasn't over though ... they lost my bag. Luckily, it was coming on the next flight.

It was a bad flying experience, though I am aware that mine wasn't as bad as some other people's. It was worth it, though - when I saw my girl, everything vanished.

Peace.

In the Secret World of Neal Stephenson

For the last couple of weeks or so, I have been traversing the truly science-fiction world of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon. Describing the plot of this mammoth book is a futile attempt for a meager blogger like Yours Truly ... but I'll try anyway. It is set in two different periods: World War II and the late '90s. In the WW2 parts, which occupy the bulk of the narrative, we have three main threads of stories: a Math genius, is drafted into the military, and is assigned to break the secret codes of the Germans and then the Japanese; a Midwestern marine sergeant is sent all over the globe for stupefyingly mysterious missions; and a Japanese Judo fighter given the task to dig a vault in the jungles of Philippines. In the present-day story a start-up IT company is about to strike a deal that would enable them to build a data haven in the fictional kingdom of Kinakuta and control the data transactions in the South East Asia.

It is an audacious book and more often than not you begin to wonder if it is at all going anywhere. I have roughly a hundred pages left to go and I continue asking myself the same question, even though a lot of the connections have been made between the storylines. This was also evident in Stephenson's latest book, Anathem, but I have a feeling that Cryptonomicon will not leave me with a sense of void once I'm done with it. In fact, this rather chaotic undertaking is mystifyingly beautiful and elegant. It is a laudable achievement of Stephenson that at no point in this 1100-plus-pages novel I found myself bored or distracted. In fact, I sort of wish it wouldn't end. Oh, well. I think I will go and finish it off tonight ...

Back to the Lists

The end is nigh, my brethren, because we are back with the Top 10 albums of the year. This year I will skip the movie list, because I haven't been doing so well on my current movies - and neither have the filmmakers. So, without further ado, I present you with the following list of my Top 10 albums of 2008.

1- Watershed by Opeth

Oh, yeah, after multiple listens I can safely declare without any hesitation that the latest by the Swedish band is the best album released in 2008. Like its predecessor, this album has a million brilliant ideas, yet it manages to be anything but convoluted. It will take a few more months to see if this is actually even better than Ghost Reveries (2006). Best song: "Hessian Peel"

2- Death Magnetic by Metallica

I was considering making this the album of the year, but I realized that there was a little bit of a hype on my part that got me a little carried away. However, if Opeth had released their album in another year, Death Magnetic would have been a shoo-in. Best song: "Broken, Beat & Scarred"

3- A Sense of Purpose by In Flames

Despite the fanboy backlash against their new sound, the second best Swedish album of the year is a collection of ferocious, infectious, and brilliant tracks. Yes, it sounds even more polished than Come Clarity (2006), but after giving it a couple of spins, it is endlessly rewarding. Best song: "Alias"

4- The Formation of Damnation by Testament

Let's get this statement out of the way first: Testament were/are the most underrated thrash metal band of all time. Fact. This is a comeback album unlike Death Magnetic in the sense that this is definitely a back-to-roots effort - it could have easily come out in mid-80s. Best song: "More Than Meets the Eye"

5- Nil Recurring by Porcupine Tree

More of a companion piece to last year's Fear of a Blank Planet, this 4-song mini-album manages to be more cohesive and affecting than the said album. With "Normal" - itself a companion to the song "Sentimental" - Steve Wilson and his company released, in my opinion, the best song of the year. Listen and weep. Best song: "Normal"

6- Rock and Awe by Young Heart Attack

Here comes my fanboy attack: it is a lot slower and more polished than their debut. However, there is no denying the quality of the songwriting on offer here. The vocals are somewhat subdued, but now in a world without Wolfmother, we desperately need this band. Best song: "Munki"

7- Twilight of the Thunder God by Amon Amarth

Continuing with my Swedish obsession, this true-to-blood Viking metal band is coming up with a better album every other year. Could it be another Opeth incident? How they manage to be catchy and this heavy without resorting to DragonForce cheese is an amazing feat in itself. Best song: "Twilight of the Thunder God"

8- Bedlam in Goliath by The Mars Volta

Perhaps their most down-to-Earth album. This time the infusion of rock and jazz is not as traditionally progressive sounding as before, but the album is still a rocking good listen overall. However it lacks a killer tune. Hence its lower position. Best song: "Ilyena"

9- Folklore & Superstition by Black Stone Cherry

Another solid effort by the Kentucky rockers. It has the energy and production value to be comparable to any great Rock'n'Roll album of the last decade. What lacks, though, is a song that defines the album. Best song: "Reverend Wrinkle"

10- ObZen by Meshuggah

What's with all the Swedes? I can assure you that the Swedish Recording Artists Industry (if such a thing exists) is not paying me for this list! If you're looking for insanely talented musicians with a sick sense of song arrangements, look no further. Also, if you really like your drumming, then this is definitely for you too. Best song: "Bleed"

And the rest:

Inflikted by Cavalera Conspiracy

Slania by Eluveitie

Hymns in the Key of 666 by Hellsongs

XV by King's X

Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace by The Offspring

Peace.

"Color of Magic" by Terry Pratchett

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
Discworld is a truly "magical" setting and Pratchett created one of the most intense and wacky worlds. However, the episodic structure belittles the premise and the characters roam from one perilous conflict to another rather easily. The sense of danger / doom is relegated to a mere nothing.


View all my reviews.

Hold on a sec!

I just realized this: "Times of Trouble" from Temple of the Dog and "Rotten Apple" of Alice In Chains share the same riff. A little bit of research revealed that Alice In Chains' song came a good three years after. I am not insinuating that Jerry Cantrell and co. nicked the riff, but it is a little uncanny.

Peace.

Yet Another Awesome Playlist

"Austral Spectrum" by Alchemist
"We Die Young" by Alice In Chains
"Twilight of the Thunder God" by Amon Amarth
"Sweet Emotion" by The Answer
"Blind Man" by Black Stone Cherry
"Joan Crawford" by Blue Oyster Cult
"Riot Act" by Exodus
"King for a Day" by Faith No More
"Guardian" by Fates Warning
"Seasons in the Abyss" by Hellsongs
"Psycho" by Kosmos
"Get It on" by T-Rex
"Inertiatic Esp" by The Mars Volta
"Seabeast" by Mastodon
"Broken, Beat & Scarred" by Metallica
"A-Hole" by Mother Superior
"Nutbush City Limits" by Nashville Pussy
"Mota" by The Offspring
"Face of Melinda" by Opeth
"Prelude to Descent" by Paradise Lost
"Sentimental" by Porcupine Tree
"My Enemy" by Skid Row
"Jesus Christ Pose" by Soundgarden
"Serenade" by Steve Miller Band
"Cold Winter Nights" by Stratovarius
"Times of Trouble" by Temple Of The Dog
"More Than Meets the Eye" by Testament
"Teaser" by Tommy Bolin
"Schism" by Tool
"The Answer" by Warrior Soul

Peace.

Reverse Sacrifice

Last night I attended the second night of the Northwest Film Festival, organized at the Northwest Film Center in Portland, Oregon. The night's screenings involved a collection of shorts handpicked by the judges from local filmmakers (Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC). Needless to say it was a mixed bag of oddities, impenetrable tosh, and run-of-the-mill squares.

Two films, however, grabbed my attention: Jamie Marie Waelchli's excruciating Little Pleasures and Vincent Caldoni's brilliant The Rifle Workbook. The former consists of Waelchli stuffing as many gums as possible into her mouth until she pukes (multiple times) and her cheeks enlarge to contain the elastic sugary mass. It is a heavy-handed metaphor for a society where we subject ourselves an overload of puny pleasures, instead of experiences that are rewarding for a longer period of time. The film - experiment, if you will - reaches a point where it ceases to be funny (as was evidenced by the ending laughter from the audience three quarters of the way) and becomes painful to watch. A ridiculously simple premise and execution, but very effective.

The Rifle Workbook, on the other hand, showcases the talents of Caldoni as a future superstar movie director. Using a soundtrack by Explosions in the Sky, the film takes place in a wooded area where an angel oversees a strange ritual where the locals place their most precious belongings (mirror, knife, hair, whiskey, etc.) in a case. The angel then burns the case and from the ashes comes out ... It is a fantastic little film - music video, if you will.

Both films were shown in the middle of the schedule, so they overshadowed everything that came before and/or after them. Interestingly, though, both films were satisfyingly unconventional, yet accessible. Just like short films should be.

"Anathem" by Neal Stephenson

Here is my review of Stephenson's latest book, Anathem as posted goodreads.com.

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Despite its grand ambitions and occasional bursts of genius, it falls short of its promise. Stephenson's linguistic prowess is undeniable, but his prose is far from poetic or emotionally gratifying. However, it is one of the more interesting and challenging science fiction, or "speculative fiction", books I have read and would recommend to anybody searching for something slightly out of the ordinary. Prior knowledge of the Long Now Project isn't essential - the book is only marginally connected to it - but adds to the experience.


View all my reviews.

Goodbye to Massachusetts

I posted this blog somewhere else by mistake. Oops...

It has been a little over three and a half years since I arrived in Beantown with no definite game plan for the long run. I had signed up for the summer school to get some film classes in order to find out if the whole scene was right for me. My original plan was to travel around the world for a year with the money I had in the bank (a few years' worth of savings and what I got for my 2001 Ford Fiesta 1.6L 5-speed manual). However, after a couple of weeks in Boston, I decided to stay here. I enrolled - miraculously - in graduate school and the rest is history (I can't escape cliches nowadays).

My three and a half years (with 3 months break in the City of Angels) has been full of ups and downs. Here's the lowdown:

Ups:
- Regan - love of my life and the most gorgeous girl in the world.
- Friends - mostly through BU I met some amazing people that are now my lifelong friends.
- Accent - my new British-American-Turkish hybrid of an accent is apparently a hit.
- US of A - there are so many places to see and things to do here, I love it.

Downs:
- My car - how can a car break down this frequently?
- Personal issues that I don't want to divulge - those close to me know what they are.
- Job situation - unless you're an accountant or have a medical training, Boston is devoid of job opportunities.

Now I'm heading out to Oregon - a place I fell in love with two St. Patrick's Days ago. A new beginning. I'm sad to say goodbye to Boston, but at the same time I am very relieved to be out of this place. Who knows when I will be here next - not for a long time. I hope life treats me a little better out there, because I'm running out of options.

Anyway, this is getting pretty morbid. This is my last blog from the East Coast. Next blog will be written in Pacific time.

Peace.

NFL Logos Going Right

I may not be the first one, but the other day I notices something as I was trying to look for a worthy addition to my otherwise abysmal fantasy football team. With the exception of one team, all the NFL team logos face or point to the right - excluding, of course, the "stationary" ones - letters and symmetrical symbols. Here's a list of the ones "charging", if you will, to the right:

- Ravens' raven
- Browns' helmet
- Texans' bull
- Jaguars' jaguar
- Titans' fireball
- Bills' buffalo
- Free Willy on Dolphins'
- Patriots' minuteman
- Broncos' bronco
- Chiefs' arrow
- Lions' lion
- Vikings' James Hetfield
- Falcons' falcon
- Panthers' panther
- Buccaeneers' flag
- Redskins' Native American
- Cardinals' cardinal
- Seahawks' ... seahawk
- And, last but not least (pun totally intended), Rams' ram

Only Eagles' eagle is facing left.

I don't know if it was a deliberate attempt by Philly to come up with a logo that defies the "Western logic" or the rest of the NFL. What I mean by "Western logic" is that languages written with a Latin-based alphabet are written from left to right (duh...), so it is natural for children growing up learning these languages as mother tongue to "think" from left to right too (Lacan's language-based psychoanalysis). Let's give a cinematic example: in Kubrick's film The Killing (1955), all the characters enter the scene from left to right. Kubrick later said that it was deliberate. I might be completely off the mark here, but I remember reading a quote by David Lean along the same lines.

Anyway, back to football. What is strange about the NFL logos isn't the fact that they face right, but that one team - by pure coincidence or pure rebellion - has a logo facing the other way.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

Peace.

Goodbye, Mr. Wright...

The music world has lost one of its most talented and elusive players. Rick Wright, Pink Floyd's legendary keyboard player, has passed away after battling with cancer. It is sad news indeed, as not only was he immensely gifted as a songwriter, but he was also a master of his instrument. Players such as Jon Lord, Keith Emerson, and Rick Wakeman are "superstars" in terms of rock keyboards for their showmanship and technical expertise. Wright, on the other hand, was more subtle. Take a listen to Floyd's "Echoes" or any song from Dark Side of the Moon (1973).

It's a shame that we will never get to see Pink Floyd in all its glory anymore - Syd Barrett, the founding member, also recently passed away. But, they left us a catalogue that deserves the epithet "unique" more than any other.

P.S. "Echoes" is playing in the background right now and it's killing me. What a song.

Peace.