To the Land of Homesick Fully Grown Children!

I'm off. My plane leaves at 6:40 am. I should get there at 4:30pm. There's an hour delay in Philly. I'm nervous. Not so much because I'm going solo. I'm looking forward to that. More so because of the living situation I'll be in. It's a hostel I'm staying in. So I will have a bunk in a room shared with others. I hope whoever they are they're nice. I'm thinking of it as a vacation first and foremost. Then we'll see how things flow from there. Well until we meet again. I don't know where, I don't know when. But it was lovely. And If I never had the chance of meeting you in person, maybe one day we'll get the chance. But at the very least, we're all always connected by underground wires....

Goodbye Old Unfaihful

Dear Gray Volvo 240GL,

Today is the last day I'll be you owner, for I have donated you and tomorrow a tow truck from the KCET department will come and take you away from me for ever. You are the only car I didn't wreck or fuck up to the point beyond repair. We had many a long drive to MGA and back again. You served me well. But sometimes not so well, you cost me lots of money to fix, and left me stranded in the most inconvenient of times. And while I will miss you. I am happy we are going our separate ways. At least you had a Cd player and a radio that worked as opposed to any other automobile I've had, and you never blew your tires. Rest assured though, that if I ever do buy another car again, it will be one of your brothers or sisters in the 240 series. I'll always remember you thanks to the wonders of the digital world. For if they not existed, you would be erased from my memory forever, like everything else beyond the span of six months.

xo
~Daniel

Current Musical Obsessions

What's currently on repeat on my Ipod

Yummers

Irene's parents came over this weekend.

A life of guilt

I've realized a lot of stuff in the past year. I realized that I'm 26 and still I don't know what I want out of life. Except that I want to live it. I have, however, realized what I don't want. But I hate to admit it to myself because I've been brainwashed to believe by everyone around me that If I don't want these things and don't acquire them, I'm a failure.
So, I have lived my life everyday feeling guilty and pleasing everyone else and not ever doing anything I want for myself. Not once in my 26 years. It's gone on so long that I don't know if I ever did know what I wanted or if I had the chance to discover what my purpose was and it flew right pass me in my constant concern to please others.
I know I don't want stuff. I don't want more clutter. I don't want to own a house or a car. I don't know what I want in a partner at all. I think I went to school so my family would be proud. It seemed like the next logical step. So I moved to Los Angeles and studied the only ting I know, art. And in my desperation these past 7 years I think my creativity has suffered more than anything because of this. I've kept others happy for so long I've forgotten completely about myself. Everything I found pleasure in has no feeling anymore. I'm bewildered as to how to get it back, or if it's even possible. So what do I do now? No, this is not asking for a pity party, or "I understand yous" and "feel betters." It's just a truth that I have to admit to myself and though I am sad about it. I don't know what the next step is. I don't know what, if anything makes me happy.
So do I end it here or stay around hoping something comes along that makes me feel something again? And if that doesn't happen do I hold on for the next round and the next? Or do I just go back to pretending because that seemed to work?

For the Bible Tells me So is one of those films that if everyone in this country watched, it would send a tidal wave of change. It's amazing how a book that is used world wide, whose very intention was to teach acceptance, tolerance, and love. Has been completely redefined, and warped beyond recognition of it's original form, in todays society to promote hate and violence towards those that are different.

The Neighborhood

There was filming again in the neighborhood today. My apartment building is right outside the gates of a gated community...But I always park inside because there is always parking there as oppose to the street directly in front of my building. When they film in the neighborhood which is full of picturesque mega homes, therefore perfect for films, they don't let vehicles park there. If we do park, or forget to move our vehicle the day prior, it gets towed. Only in L.A. Those houses are full of black families. And judging from the size of those homes and their interiors, which they proudly display by leaving their curtains open, they're very wealthy. I believe every single one of those homes is inhabited by families remarkably similar to those below, and they get into all crazy sorts of shenanigans, adventures, and high jinks on a weekly basis...

The Winslows from Family Matters

The Huxtables

The Banks from The Fresh Prince

Packing

My bedroom is looking less lively these days. I don't have that much more left. It's still a bit unnerving not knowing where I'll be exactly by the end of November. Wish me luck.

BumbleBee in WeHo

So I'm at the Target in West Hollywood today picking up more packing tape. And look who I bumped in to! I was afraid to approach him because I'm not one to go up and talk to stars just to say hi. I'm fine just being a spectator I don't have to know them. But he was standing there promoting the release of his movie on DVD. So I got the balls to talk to him. It's not like I was ever gonna see him again. He's actually pretty cool. You could tell he really cares about his fans and hasn't let fame go to his head.

Presenting the Futalognkosaurus dukei

(Not pictured below but similar)

One of the biggest most complete species of sauropods has been found in Patagonia.

This one has been classified under a new group of titanosaurs. Titanosaurs where much larger then the average sauropods.
This herbivore had a really strong, massive neck, and grew up to 112 feet long and 4 stories high. It roamed in what is now Patagonia over 80 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous. What makes this a more amazing find is that 70 percent of it is preserved. The average percentage of preservation of other dinosaur of this size is about 10%. The entire vertebrae of this dinosaur from head to tail was found complete.
His name means "giant Chief of the lizards."

Last Night

Irene and I went to see Wes Andersons New film The Darjeeling Limited. It was a step forward, more so than The Life Aquatic but not as great as Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.
Irene summed it up perfectly describing it as one of his sadder films. The story revolves around 3 brothers, played by Luke Wilson, Adrian Brody and Jason Schwartzman. They have not seen each other since their fathers death a year prior.
They are summoned to India by their older played by Luke Wilson, as way to reconnect like they used to and possibly be spiritually enlightened. And what place is more spiritual than India?
Well their trip begins aboard the train that the movie is titled after. All three are trying to hold on to their fathers belongings, including his travel bags. This of course represents the emotional baggage they are all carrying. They realize they don't need his "stuff" to remember him. In their chanting and praying to find something bigger inside of them they fall short and are at the point of giving up and going back to their separate lives. When they least expect it a greater, unfortunate, act makes them realize one doesn't need India or chanting or prayer to be spiritual. All one needs is a deep connection with all those around you.
The movies is beautiful to looks at. There are wonderful but short cameos by Angelica Houston of course, Bill Murray, and Natalie Portman. Portman also appears in a short film called Hotel Chevalier playing Schwartzman's ex girlfriend. It's takes place at the Hotel, of the same name, 24 hours before Jason leaves to India to reunite with his brothers.
You can download the short free on itunes

Oh What Melody!

I got the pleasure of seeing Beirut twice this past Thursday and Friday. Although midway through the show I get pulled out of my spot front row center. A venue employee asked to see my camera. She told me we weren't allowed to shoot video at the request of the band. They made me flip through my pictures and delete my videos. Well by that time, I had taken well over one hundred and they got tired of me flipping through to find them. So I managed to save two videos.

They let me go, and I shoved my way back to my spot. But the thought of Beirut requesting their fans not take video of them didn't seem likely. They seem like a good bunch who hasn't let fame blind and warp them into snobs. I didnt let it bother me and enjoyed the rest of their amazing show. Their music is grand and reminds me of winters, which places me in amazing mood.

Well Friday they had a semi secret show at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. I always go to shows there, and film in the presence of employees. the show stars and I start recording. Sure enough a store employee come and taps me on my back.
"Yo can takes pictures but you can't film at the bands request" he says.
I apologize and take pics for the rest of the show. Now twice in a row, I started getting a sour taste in my mouth. I didn't think Beirut would be like that, So Yesterday I wrote to the band to ask them if they really don't want fans to record them. This is the respond I got back this morning.

"yes, that sounds bad- I've never asked for folks to put away their cameras... that would leave a sour taste in my mouth as well... I hope you're not too offended- and I'll have to make sure venues allow a little more freedom later on for the audience-
cheers
zach"

Well thanks Zach. I truly appreciate your response. I look forward to seeing you in New York.
Click on the above photo for more shots.

See this film

For The Bible Tells Me So

Screenings in L.A. at the Landmark Nuart Theater through October 18th.

Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating gays and lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate?

Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival, Dan Karslake's provocative, entertaining documentary brilliantly reconciles homosexuality and Biblical scripture, and in the process reveals that Church-sanctioned anti-gay bias is based almost solely upon a significant (and often malicious) misinterpretation of the Bible. As the film notes, most Christians live their lives today without feeling obliged to kill anyone who works on the Sabbath or eats shrimp (as a literal reading of scripture dictates).

Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.

Film Synopsis from forthebibletellsmeso.org

Fall into Reading

I've been on a reading binge lately. Mostly graphic novels. After I saw Wicked last Tuesday I pulled out my copy of The Grimmerie and started re reading it. Thursday I went to see Beirut and had hours to kill in line. so I bought Fables volumes No.2 and 3, and Hellboy volume 7.

I've yet to finish The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. I got distracted by other things and have as of yet to pick it back up again.