It's Been About a Month ...

*coughcoughcough* So ... *shuffles around and dusts off keyboard* It's been a while ... I have a few reasons ... first, being the second spring break. I didn't do much work and indulged in some pleasure reading. When I came back from break, I was playing catch-up, mostly with Earth Abides for my Apocalyptic Lit class. The book was ... okay. It was slow ... and I wasn't really liking the narration style. The main character, Ish, thought to himself most of the time, he rushes into a relationship with an African American woman after the apocalypse, no moves are really made to try and restore civilization to a pre-apocalyptic way of life ... and he overpraises his bright son who dies of typhoid fever. Okay read, a bit over-hyped by the professor.
Apart from that, I was finishing up Vlog/Video Every Day in April and doing my best to keep up with the rest of my coursework, the remainder of my internship, and other goings-on on campus. And those things have taken time away from my internet social activities, like blogging and vlogging and such. I mean, Twitter and Dailybooth are relatively easy to keep up with, but I wanted to hold off on the time-intensive activities until I had time ... and that time is nearing.
The semester is almost at an end, thankfully. I handed in a roughly 8-pager yesterday and I'm finishing off 2 4-to-5 pagers for tomorrow, followed by a final tomorrow night, followed by station business, and one on Tuesday night, followed by ice cream with friends. And packing. Lots and lots of packing. Well, maybe minus one of those "lots", thanks to the fact that my parents took back about half of my stuff when they stopped in for lunch the weekend after the second break. Most of this round of packing is sheets and mattress-related materials, so they'll take up the most space.
*cracks knuckles* Well, I'd best better be getting back to the writing ... post-food, of course. See you all in a few days ... with a few more comics, hopefully. Not too much drawing improvement, but ... meh.

Until next time! Allons-y, Alonso!

On ... Well ... Stuff

While this doesn't necessarily represent my dabblings in cooking ... it's a bit close. XD The most I've made is a quiche ... but that was back in September.
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I started using Pandora again the other day after getting a bit tired of my Alternative playlist. I started an Arcade Fire station. So far, I've gotten ... probably close to 10 Arcade Fire songs ... and 3 different versions of 'Hallelujah'. One is by Rufus Wainright, another by Jeff Buckley, and another by John Cale.
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Updates ... let's see ... classes are going well. I'm doing my best to keep up with the Lit Theory readings, which are going to be the most demanding. My internship is going well, too. So far, I've locked and uploaded one video. I'm finishing another up hopefully for this Thursday.

Until next post! Allons-y, Alonso!

Unpublished Column

What follows is the column I wrote for the Finals issue of the campus paper. It won't be appearing in the issue because I missed the deadline by a few hours. :( Enjoy!
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Politically, the news recently has been a tad depressing, what with the lame duck session, as well as one major international story.  A repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has been shot down.  A tax cut compromise for the rich has been passed, but there is hope.  Last I heard, there’s a filibuster against it.  As for the international hubbub, there’s the Wikileaks uproar.  But that all doesn’t really bother me right now.  Why?  I’m happy right now.

I’m just happy.  Maybe it’s because classes are over.  Maybe it’s because I’m nice and warm inside my apartment.  Maybe it’s because there’s snow in the air and on the ground as of when I’m writing this.  Maybe it’s because of the Christmas-y tunes I’ve been spinning recently, even though I don’t celebrate Christmas.  Hey, maybe there should be more Hanukkah songs that aren’t quite traditional and aren’t written and performed by Adam Sandler.  It gets old.  Maybe it’s because I can just see the light at the end of the tunnel and, God, is it a sight for sore eyes.  I don’t know why.  But I’m happy, which is quite a good thing, especially during this time of the semester and year.

Yes, that’s right, it’s time for finals.  Some of your classes might’ve been the best you’ve taken this semester or so far in your college career.  Your professors and/or TAs might’ve been extremely enthusiastic about their respective subjects and were able to convey as much as they possibly could to you to get you ready for the final exam, if there is one.  Some of your classes might’ve been the absolute worst.  Your professors and/or TAs might’ve been droll and boring and monotonous and picky with all their assignment grading.  But thankfully, it’s all over now.  Mostly over, that is.  Everyone has a few more days before they pack up and head home for a nice six weeks of recuperation and family time.

Six weeks. Six whole weeks. Can you believe it?  Six whole weeks of relaxation after a grueling fifteen weeks of classes is like heaven.  What are you going to do?  You’ve got plenty of time to spend in New York City, depending on your proximity.  You’ve also got plenty of time to spend with friends, apart from family, as well as catch up on pleasure reading, if you do that at all.  Traveling, reading, and family time is what I have awaiting me.  Travel-wise, I’ll be spending about a week in Toronto and ten days in Israel on a Birthright trip.  Reading-wise, I have a feeling that I’ll finish at least five books.  And as for family time, two to three weeks at home are just fine for me.

But what sucks, and I mean REALLY sucks, is that the spring semester starts on my birthday.  Not that I’m complaining or anything … but worst timing ever!  Oh, and The Decemberists have a three show run at the Beacon during that first week of classes.  I’m currently bemoaning the transportation woes.  Actually, that doesn’t really matter.  I’ll be back here at [REDACTED], celebrating my birthday with friends and starting some hopefully interesting classes.

Happy holidays and a happy New Year to all! See everyone in 2011!

On Casting 'Paradise Lost'

This past Thursday in my Brit Lit course, we were discussing the important characters and more or less who we'd choose to cast in said roles if we were in charge of casting for an adaptation of Paradise Lost. What follows is what we as a class came up with. My suggestions are in bold.
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- Adam: Keanu Reeves, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Brad Pitt?
- Satan: Al Pacino, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Nicholas Cage?, Daniel Day Lewis, Johnny Depp?, one of the Baldwin Brothers, Colin Farrell, Mel Gibson, Ian McKellen
- Eve: Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Gwenyth Paltrow?, Eva Longoria, Kate Winslet
- God (the Father): Ian McKellen, Morgan Freeman, Christopher Lee, James Earl Jones, Betty White, Queen Latifah, Meryl Streep
- God (the Son): David Tennant, Russell Brand
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With Adam, we were going for actors who can do vacant, emotionless, and shirtless rather well. I chuckled at the thought of Keanu and when the prof mentioned shirtlessness and poor displays of emotion, the thought of Pattinson and Lautner popped into my head and I sheepishly suggested them. Pitt was suggested because he and Angelina work well.
There was an age split when it came to suggestions for Satan, however, the choices primarily relied on how well angry and emotional turmoil could be played out. Pacino was suggested in sync with Reeves in hopes of another Devil's Advocate-like casting. I suggested Bale because of his anger and Cage because ... well, he's Nick Cage.
With Eve, we were looking for some brains and beauty. I had no suggestions there ... but I was thinking about how horrible the casting would be if Kristen Stewart was cast as Eve ... it'd be almost like Twilight over again ... *shudder*
With God (the Father), we were looking for a stern figure with a large repetoire and an overpowering voice. McKellen was the first to pop into my head. Of course, Freeman, Lee, and Jones are known for their recognizable voices. And White, Latifah, and Streep were suggested to fiddle with the gender casting. And as for God (the Son), we were thinking about a bit of flamboyance and such. We didn't get to casting him, but I suggested Tennant and Brand to the prof as the class was letting out.

Until next time! Allons-y, Alonso!

Recent Ramblings

I've had a few things floating around in my brain over the last few days and I just want to get them out. So here you go.
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From the drive back on Sunday: "We're almost traveling against our will. Home is back that way and is drawing us back with the allure of safety, security, and the sensuality of homemade food. College is up that way and is drawing is forward with assignments to (in some cases begrudgingly) complete and late nights perched over laptops with our energy drinks of choice (tea, coffee, energy drinks). The only thing keeping us awake is the promise of warm lodgings and microwaved food up ahead, along with the consistent glare of the lampposts along the side of the highway."
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From the mailroom earlier today: "Huh. A job/internship prep meeting thing in a coffee house type setting on campus. Nice, nice. Wait, pizza and soda will be served? ... Pizza and soda in a coffee house?! What happened to bringing your laptop and other equipment and material into a coffee house, ordering your mocha frapp latte and blueberry muffin, and getting to work on whatever it is you set out to work on?! I mean ... geez ... pizza and soda in a coffee house ... what has the world come to?"
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See you all after this work-stress-reading-writing-editing period. Which should be about 2 weeks.

Allons-y, Alonso!

On ... Stuff (Bob Dylan, Harry Potter and Traveling)

Well ... hi. I realize that my posts here have been few and far between, with the exception of the photos. I mean, last month, you got 5 posts, apart from the photos. This is the third for this month. ... Eh, I can do better. Which is kinda why I'm writing this. Let's start with the Bob Dylan concert.
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Bob Dylan. What more is there to say? He's Bob Dylan. And ... I was expecting more.
A week and a half after Harvey ended, Bob Dylan showed up on campus to play a gig and ... it was okay. My expectations there a bit too high. He was great and all ... but he would've been better if I recognized a few more of the songs in the fifteen song concert. And of the five or so that I DID recognize, I only was able to by picking out phrases from the mumble-y, raspy voice of the now faded raconteur. But I still enjoyed myself.
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After Dylan, I needed my Potter fix, which I most definitely got at midnight in one of six out of nine filled auditoriums.
To start the night off, I ordered my ticket earlier in the day online. Yes, I know, quit giving me that look. I had been planning on ordering it, but I kept putting it off. ... ANYWAYS, I hitched a ride with my friend Stephanie (who I learned is a big fan of Jasper Fforde (I had a copy of Shades of Grey.), in addition to being a big fan of the new Doctor Who) and her friends and brother. We got to the theater and were sent to Theater 5, but we went with Theater 9 because of better seating. We took our seats and chilled for a bit before the manager walked around dressed as Bellatrix, a food trolley came around for a trivia contest (I won a coupon for a small popcorn because I correctly identified what sugar quills are), and a local radio personality did more trivia stuff in a turkey outfit with an iPad (Sadly, I messed up with the names of the Defense Against the Dark Arts profs).
I proceeded to walk around to the other auditoriums to see if I recognized anyone. I saw my friends Jordan, Rachel, Kim, Noora, Brian, and a few others. Oddly enough, I didn't see Heather. But I discovered that Brian is more or less an unofficial Nerdfighter and a major fan of Charlie McDonnell.
After the trailers (my theater laughed at the trailer for Cowboys and Aliens and also saw an impressive new trailer for The Green Hornet), the penultimate Harry Potter movie began and I wasn't disappointed. Yes, it's been three years since I read the 7th book, but Yates and everyone involved did a fantastic job, despite a few faults here and there.
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And yesterday, I drove home. Well, I didn't DRIVE ... but I was a passenger of Sam, a family friend. The ride went smoothly. I read about half of Markus Zusak's I Am The Messenger. We stopped in a small town called Cobleskill for a quick bite from McDonald's. The town itself appeared to be a quaint place with only one movie theater. It was showing Deathly Hallows, Part 1. The McDonald's on the other hand ... was okay. I got a McSnack Wrap which was lukewarm and had American cheese. Cheap fast food = mediocre quality. And one of the singles we got back had "red boner" scrawled on the back.
Afterwards, we continued to Albany to pick up a friend of Sam's and we continued on our way, passing The Egg while the GPS was redirecting us. I arrived home around 5:30, said hi to everyone, dropped my stuff off, and joined my family for dinner at a family friend's house. And that was most of the rest of the evening.

*phew*

Hrm ... I think I'll save NaNoWriMo and The Walking Dead for the next post, which should come before Finals Week.

Until next post! Allons-y, Alonso!

A Stereotypical College Student

Today has been ... a good day. And I felt like a stereotypical college student. Why? Let me tell you.
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I slept in way past my alarm, but I woke in time to squeeze in a quick shower, grab a granola bar, and catch the bus to make my Teen Lit course, which I was a touch late to, but the prof didn't mind. And I learned that we'll only have 4 grades in the class. So I may or may not write the next paper. We'll see how busy I am with Harvey and other things this weekend.
I registered and got into 3 out of the 4 classes I was hoping to get in to. I swung by the English office and got a petition form for it. I walked back to the apartment for a lunch break and filmed a quick ranty kinda video before heading back down. I met with the professor of the course I'm trying to petition into and I found out that I couldn't petition in to the course, but that I should keep checking the registration site for people dropping the course. Before heading to hand in my Brit Lit assignment, I realized that I forgot it back at the apartment, so I spent a hell of a long time waiting for someone printing 145 pages on the double-sided printer for my assignment to print.
We viewed a few videos by Michael Olenick in my Video class and discussed human behavior in apocalyptic situations and such in my Zombie class, which was quite interesting. Dinner with my Zombie classmate (and radio apprentice) Tom went well. We discussed the group project we'll be working on for the end of the semester. We're thinking about an escape plan video, involving HVZ players. ^_^
And the second tech run is going quite smoothly.
Oh, and I didn't doze off in any of my classes today. I guess I should aim for 8 and a half or so hours of sleep more often. :)

Until next time! Allons-y, Alonso!

Friday, Or What To Do Instead of Seeing Drake

Last night, Drake performed on campus. Drake? The name doesn't sound familiar? Aubrey Drake Graham, most well known for his part as Jimmy Brooks in the recent rebook of Degrassi? This guy.
Well, he played campus last night, and as I'm not the biggest fan of Degrassi (haven't even watched it) nor am I the biggest fan of rap/hip-hop, I avoided the concert. Instead, after rehearsal (I'm assistant directing a production of Harvey on campus), I ate dinner and mulled over whether or not to catch a shuttle back up to the apartment to drop of my bag, which I had been carrying around all day. I decided that I wouldn't because of time logistics. Instead, I headed down to the Lecture Hall to catch a screening of Oliver Stone's Wall Street, the first of a handful of films being presented by the Cinema Department this semester as part of a film club thing.
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The film was an interesting character study, but I probably would've had a better grasp on the plot if I knew more about economics. Yeah ... 7th and 8th grade Home Ec classes went out the window a while ago ... and I probably would've been a bit more interested if I wasn't dozy during the first half hour-ish of the movie.

The screening was followed by a walk over to the Fine Arts building to see a long form improv troupe (a few friends are members) in one of the small performance studios. The group warmed up with Hot Stop and launched into a series of character sketches that relied on word suggestions from the audience with some interesting situations (orgies, thieves of baked goods, lesbians who can't cook quiches ...). They ended with Showdown, during which they asked for audience participation. It was rather amusing dying twice. And I've made it my goal to get involved at the workshops.

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After the performance was over, I walked back up with Eliana (the pianist ... remember her? Yeah, she was at the improv performance) and some of her friends to her place and I headed over to the nearest shuttle stop and caught the bus up to the apartment, unpacked, and unwound with Danielle on Skype ... until the early hours of the morning. It happens

Until next time. Allons-y!