2004: The Quickening

So another year has come and gone.
I remained employed through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.
And for that, I am thankful. This hasn't happened since 1999.
The pay isn't much, but the atmosphere is good, as you've probably been able to tell from my posts.
The new fiscal year kicks in in April and I hope this will mean a change of status for me and my comrades.
It would be nice to be permanent again, like in 1999, with medical benefits. Here's hoping!

Christmas Eve was spent at Spino's friend's mom's house (nested apostrophes, gotta love 'em!).
Mom's cool, she's an ex-biker. We toasted the New Year watching "Airplane 2: The Sequel",
pausing it long enough to watch the ball drop (again) in New York City ("Get a rope!").
We then stayed over and slept fitfully, then watched the Rose Parade on TV in the morning.
The house was way the hell in Norco, so Spino didn't want to chance the roads post-New Year's Eve.
We had breakfast at... Not Denny's, and not IHOP... Where was it? Oh yeah, Carrows.
Then we limped home. I went straight to bed and slept for 2 hours.
Then Pascal woke me up and we had a New Year's Day dinner.
Oven-cooked turkey breast with lots of veggies, and Double Rainbow Coffee Blast ice cream for dessert.
Then we watched a movie, something from NetFlix...



And speaking of NetFlix:

"The Four Feathers": Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet, Wes Bentley.
We needed something to break us out of our cops/criminals/FBI/CIA rut and this was just the thing.
A nice period piece about 2 late 1800's British officers who love the same woman, and a reflection on
the true nature of cowardice. This novel has been filmed before, but probably not in such a balanced
fashion vis-a-vis the British Colonialists and the Sudanese rebels. It works better on a TV,
because it's a little slow in places. The cinematography is gorgeous though. I dig it.

"Daredevil": Ben Affleck, what's-her-name, Michael Clark Duncan, that Irish guy from S.W.A.T.
I saw this in the theaters and enjoyed it. My exposure to Daredevil is mostly from French-translated
Marvel comics of the 60's and 70's, right up to before Frank Miller took over. And based on that,
Daredevil seems pretty close to his comicbook alter-ego. I had misgivings about Duncan as the
Kingpin but he pulled it off pretty well. It's not a bad little movie.

"Bringing Down The House": Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy.
Wow, Queen Latifah just gets around, doesn't she? I remember back when she was a rapper, and she
was pretty good. Then she had a TV talk show for a while, but I never got around to watch it.
Then she went into acting, both movies and commercials (Pizza Hut voice-overs) and suddenly,
she's "Oscar-Nominated" Queen Latifah!! (Best Supporting Actress for "Chicago").
Not bad, girlfriend!!
Steve Martin, of course, needs no introduction. The guy's been around forever.
Eugene Levy, ditto.
So this is a gentle little comedy about a divorced uptight white lawyer who suddenly finds himself
with a "Cocoa Goddess" dumped in his lap who upsets his routine and gradually makes him realize
what a noob he is and he should get back with his wife and live happily ever after.
Eugene Levy plays the Jewish lawyer who's got a bad case of "Fievre De La Jungle" (hon-hon-hon!!).
It's a funny movie, especially if you live in an urban environment, boyeeee!
The movie's got a good beat and I can bug out to it. Go Smiley! Go Smiley!

Coming Attractions:
"Out Of Time": Denzel Washington. Waiting to be watched.
"Chicago": Renée, Queen, and the others. Should be in my mailbox tonight.
"Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert": Hugo Weaving. Should be in my mailbox tomorrow.

Sunday: I'm going to the L.A. Auto Show to goggle at all the new hot bodies, car bodies.

That's the news, goodnight, and have a pleasant tomorrow.

It's Not What You Do, It's The Way That You Do It

The Things I've Been Meme:
(I'm forgetting a few, I'm sure)

- Security Guard (Los Angeles Olympic Games, and Honda dealership)
- Graphic Novel Translator (French to American English, entertainment company)
- Data Entry Clerk (inventory for 3-store software chain)
- Customer Service Representative (college job listing service, and long distance provider)
- Salesdrone (various home electronics stores and one toy store)
- Shelf Stocker (discount home electronics store)
- Proofreader (college job listing service)
- Used Levi's Jeans Broker (dad did it, I took over when he died)
- Language Consultant (period French dialogue for WWI script)
- Messenger (scooter, then automobile. I love driving!)
- Game Reviewer (published in print and online)
- Phone Recruiter (that one was weird and vaguely uncomfortable)
- Bouncer (at various nightclubs)
- Level Designer (preliminary [ie: graph paper] design of 2D platformer levels)
- Assistant Producer (on one PlayStation and PC game)
- DJ (both paid and unpaid gigs)

Unofficially:
- Web Designer (or at least, COntent Processor)
- Graphic Designer (flyers, CD covers, posters, business cards, etc...)
- eBay Vendor
- Navigator



And I'm still a Quality Assurance Game Tester, with my name in the credits and everything.

And now, I go home.
Happy weekend y'all!