Vanity on One Hundred Thousand Trillion

With Danielle around, there's no such thing as bruised egos.
i can even ignore the small issue of being reduced to a non-personifiable "thing."

Because It's Been a While...

old Photography 202 work w/ Syd. Time to bring this camera out of semi-retirement.

I Can't Help It.

i'm mad i can't even play MJ songs in tribute as something special...i already do that everyday.

i remember when MJ videos were major network television events. I got to stay up past my bedtime to watch the world premiere of 'Black or White.' (i also remember watching Thriller while hiding behind the sofa.

i remember when it was cool to lose a glove because you could rock one and be like MJ. Elmer's glue x a bottle of glitter...fill in the rest.

i remember spending days at Erica's grandma's house after school and the only movie we'd ever want to watch being Monwalker.

i remember practicing my Moonwalk in socks down the hall because it was too hard to do with shoes. 17 years later and i still haven't perfected it.

i remember Bad being the only tape that got any play in my walkman (partly because i had stepped on and broken To The Extreme, and Please Hammer Don't Hurt Them was lost forever.

i remember when I was in 2nd grade I had to write a poem and used the 'Man in the Mirror' lyrics for my entire paper. I was thinking I was slick and no one would know. I didn't know dude's buzz was so big at the time.

i remember going to Disneyland and the first thing i always had to do was sit and watch Captain EO (surprisngly, Star Tours was always second). I'm still salty they turned aruond and replaced it witht that wack ass 'Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.'

i remember everytime going to Redondo Beach Pier, the only thing i ever wanted to do was play Moonwalker. Still the only place i know that has a machine. I still get it in on my computer though. ROMs FTW.

i remember swapping between The Box, BET and MTV for hours, just to catch the Scream video. Still my favorite ever.

i remember watching Free Willy and rewinding/fast fowarding to the parts that played "Will You be There."

i remember the car ride home last summer from Six Flags being uncomfortable as hell but content because we had HIStory playing the entire time.

i remember sitting up in bed with Angel watching MJ videos for hours when we were suppossed to be doing work.

i remember just yesterday arguing with co-workers about him while playing Thriller. funny what differece a day makes.






Eternally cool.

**Major Spoilers Ahead**

• I knew from the moment I saw the opening titles that my $10 was going down the drain. Terrible title sequence. Why show the title twice? What's the point of that? They must really think the audience has severe ADD. They start with the little background on Marcus, and then they stop the film to give you a text crawl about how John Connor is the prophetic leader, then they start the film again, and then they stop it one more time to remind you (again) that McG directed it? I've never seen something so amateurish on a big screen.

• Why was it necessary for Helena Bonham Carter's character to have cancer? The makeup at the beginning was terrible.

• OK, so the machines have taken over the world. Um...where are they? Opening battle sequence... only 2 Terminators? GTFO. Only 1 Terminator in LA? GTFO. Skynet... shouldn't the headquarters be swarming with robots? GTFO. Not once in this film are there more than 3 Terminators in one scene. That's absolutely ridiculous. Could it have hurt to throw in just a few more? Again, this is the post-apocalyptic future run by robots... where is the army of robots that did this?

• The mute kid served absolutely no purpose except to pander to the audience, and hand over the remote at the end. SMH.

• Somehow EVERY ROBOT has access to Skynet headquarters! If you ran a company, would you give an intern access to all of your files?

• Hey, Marcus Wright! What are you doing back in Skynet headquarters? Shouldn't you be infiltrating the resistance? Oh well, come on in. Let me tell you about your past and I'll even throw in a free history lesson about how we took over the world.... and I'll do this by using visual screens because us robots are just like humans!

• If Kyle Reese is your #1 and you capture him, why not kill him right then? Kyle Reese dead... John Connor dead, right? I'm not going to get into the time travel debate. Regardless of what happens after you kill Kyle Reese, the question still remains: why keep him alive just so you can bait Connor into coming? And once he's there, send ONE TERMINATOR to throw him around. Really?

• At the beginning, Connor's helicopter crashes because a nuke went off, but somehow blowing up several nukes at Skynet has no effect on their escape at the end?

• How did the humans not figure out what Marcus was sooner? Didn't want to give it away too soon? They gave everything away in the trailer already anyway. When that guy punches Marcus, shouldn't he have broken his hand? How does Marcus not rip the head off of those guys when punching them? Shouldn't he weigh a ton? How would you be able to carry him back to the base? Isn't the purpose of the minefield to stop terminators from entering? Then how is it that Marcus still has both legs intact?

• How does the molten metal not melt the Terminator when it so clearly does in T2?

• I'm just going to assume that John Connor and Marcus Wright were exact matches for a heart transplant.

And that's not even half of it.
McG=FAIL.

Just Like Pagliacci Did...

I really do need to stop keeping thoughts inside and putting on this facade like everything is ok when it really isn't. I stay on my Tony Rich Project steez, and nobody knows it but me.

• I'm beyond broke right now. idk how I'm gonna pay my phone bill next month. Tuition and books this quarter hit me for over $2,000 (i haven't opened up most of them btw, probably won't even have to).

• My parents don't even know how bad my money situation is. If they did, I'd have money...and every single penny of it would be regulated and dealt exactly how they'd want it to. I'd rather not put up with it and figure out what i can do on my own. I might sell Adderall again in a few weeks. We'll see.

• This not having money thing has led to a forever-dwindling shoe collection, and there couldn't be a better result. I'm realizing how much money i wasted on such a pointless "investment." Funds will certainly be allocated better in the future. I still love shoes. I'm just going to be a little smarter about the ones i choose to buy now. There's no need for me to have Air Jordan Vs in every single colorway, with multiple pairs of those same colors (unless they're white/red XIIs).

• I'm tired of being told I'm "over-qualified" or "not the candidate best fit" for *insert menial retail job here*. Granted, I'm not doing all I can to track one down, but who wouldn't be discouraged with the strikes i've been getting?

• I want to move away from home so badly. Being here for the better parts of the week don't really help much in keeping me from harboring these feelings. I really miss being able to take road trips anywhere i wanted. I've argued with my Dad everyday for the past 3 weeks...about half as much with my Mom. We don't see eye to eye on anything, but they're not willling to listen to reason. Most of the time i just stop fighting and give in. I need to start holding my ground more often.
  

• I hate school. The only positive i can find in it is that it keeps me from having to be at home (see above). 99% of my friends have graduated and moved on. After Natasha graduates in seven weeks, that 99% can just get bumped up to an even 100%. I tend to stick to myself in between classes. I think this group of music majors felt sorry for me or something because I'm always alone. This one girl introduced herself to me the other day, commented on my headphones, and asked if i wanted to hang out with her and talk sometimes. At first I thought she was on me, but now I'm realizing. FML haha.
  

• I hate engineering. There's no creativity in manipulating numbers and studying trends.I don't care how much money I'm projected to make upon graduation, or how secure my future is. It's not what i want to do. Here is my written promise to my future self: on April 24, 2010, I will be in another degree program.
  

• I haven't had sex in over 2 months, and it doesn't really even bother me anymore. I bet I could finish out the year and not have a problem with it. Even with guaranteed options a phone call/text away, I stay not caring. I guess i have too many other things on my plate as of lately. Max said i might as well be celibate.
  

• I keep dipping under 160 lbs. I'm almost positive it's because most days I skip out on lunch to make money stretch. Already not eating breakfast doesnt help either. I'm going to teach myself how to cook, and not just for special occasions.
  

• A friend lost my hard drive and promised to replace it. That was over a month ago. Last time i texted him he didn't respond. I need a new battery for my laptop because this current one holds no charge. Apple won't give me a new one because I have too many charge cycles in the period i've owned my laptop and it's not covered in the warranty. The palm rest area is cracking because of the magnet in the latch, and a missing screw causes my display to flicker. Cost of a new hard drive: $199.99. Cost of a new battery: $129.00. Amount of money I have to cover those: a lot less than what i need. I want this. When i get some money it's as good as copped.
  

• I crossed paths with Steph on Wednesday on my way to class. We exchanged quick hellos and i kept it pushing. I kinda wish I stopped and talked to her.

• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is probably getting canceled, and I'm genuinely disappointed. I hate cliffhangers. Just when i actually start getting into TV too. Lost is over after next season, Knight Rider was garbage, and now this. At least I still have Fringe. Knowing Fox, they'll probably cancel that too though.

• I have basically front row seats to the No Doubt Tour in July, but i'll probably have to sell them to make some money. I'm salty about the Rock the Bells 2009 line-up as well. 99% sure i'll still end up going though.
  

• I don't like the fact that I have all the answers for everyone else, yet i can't take my own advice.

Don't read all of this and feel bad. This is moreso for me than for anyone else. It could always be worse.

On a much lighter note...

Finally got my hands on one of these. Probably not the smartest purchase to make right now, but im having fun with it. Shellane made the extra 8GB of space an option. Having one to play around with, and actually having one are two completely different things. I like the latter best. Notice how it complements my laptop so perfectly. It would have more company, but my white PSP has been MIA for a while now, and my DS is a POW behind enemy lines. Oh well.

People in Horror Movies Have No Foresight

One of the reasons I don't like horror movies is how stupid the people are. While I do understand the concept of dramatic irony, I think some of these situations should be fully understood by the characters. If you hear a scream, you don't walk toward danger to "investigate."


Why do people in horror movies always go investigating graveyards at night time?

If you see a terrifying figure in the window of your car, multiple times while you're in the graveyard....why would you get out of the car to investigate?

If people in the town you live in are getting murked left and right, wouldn't it be in your best interest to pack up and move on down a few cities? I've seen those houses people in movies live in. They definitely have the money...the recession isn't affecting them that badly.

When being chased by a killer, WHY THE HELL DO YOU RUN UP THE STAIRS? Jump out a window on your first floor and run like the wind. A few scars on your arms and legs > Death.

If I'm with a group of people in a shady place... no...we are not splitting up to cover more ground. I'm black. I know what happens to the lone black man.

"Hey, is anybody home? Billy? Hello? Anybody there? Ok, I'm gonna get naked and take a shower." - no explanation needed. Sudden instant mega death sequence.

And while we're on it, let us examine the classic cheesy action flick:

You know, the "We clearly outnumber this good guy here, but let's attack him one at a time." -_- What kind of criminals are you guys?

On that rare occasion when the villain has the good guy caught (e.g. a gun to his head while he's standing with nothing), don't try and be clever by giving some long diatribe. You know he's thinking of something; just dead him and you win. Of course, odds are if you're the bad guy your clip is probably empty at this point or by some "miracle" the safety is on.

How did they get King Kong off Skull Island? They thought they were slick by just cutting to the next scene in New York? SMH.

/rant.

Yay for Cake with Sprinkled Frosting

*Insert Explicative Here*

Does rain ruin lives on purpose?
Tagged along with Max and Monica on to help her sell some shoes to Laune.
Ended up dropping my phone in a gutter full of water in front of Sprinkles and now i'm disconnected from the world. RL Fleece Zip Hoodie front pockets FTL.
Plenty of adventures in between:








It's not ok to park in the lot. It's not ok to park in front of the unmarked fire hydrant.
But it is ok to park on the red curb in front of the prison? Hmmm.


Cue "The Who."






Hollywood & Vine. Renovated theater turned brand awareness pop up. Laune was the tour guide.























Ha.








How ironic that I find myself in a crate of old jazz records.








Bittersweet.


Max noticed that the first thing i took out was my memory card. Hilarity ensued. She obviously already knew why.

Why Not Scissors?

For years, people have been slapping high fives (this shall represent "paper").


More recently, since maybe the late 1970s/early 1980s, hip hop brought us the fist bump (this shall represent "rock"). It's also known as the "Terrorist Fist Jab" in some neo-con circles and RNC offices around the country.





It's time to complete the holy trinity of celebratory hand gestures. I present the "scissors greeting:"

Fact #202

Greenwood is a neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As one of the most successful and wealthiest African American communities in the United Stated during the early 20th Century, it was popularly known as America's "Black Wall Street" until the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. The riot was one of the most devastating race riots in history and it destroyed the once thriving Greenwood community.

The community mobilized its resources and rebuilt the Greenwood area within five years of the Tulsa Race Riot and the neighborhood was a hotbed of jazz and blues in the 1920s.^[8] However, the neighborhood fell prey to an economic and population drain in the 1960s, and much of the area was leveled during urban renewal in the early 1970s to make way for a highway loop around the downtown district. Several blocks of the old neighborhood around the intersection of Greenwood Ave. and Archer St. were saved from demolition and have been restored, forming part of the Greenwood Historical District.

Fact #201

McKinley Morganfield “Muddy Waters” (1913 – 1983) is considered the “Father of Chicago Blues” with his infusion of the electric guitar into the Delta country blues. Muddy Waters was influential to some of the most popular rock bands, such as the Rolling Stones, who named themselves after his popular 1950 song "Rollin’ Stone."

恭喜發財

Happy Lunar New Year

Little red envelopes all day son.

Ching chong diggity ding dong gong gung hay fat choy we getting Chinese money

^i wish.

Salty like Morton's

Is Your Lambo Blue?

Kind of surreal.

The photograph that will be displayed in all federal buildings beginning this week.

The first presidential portrait to be shot with a digital camera (Canon EOS  5D Mark II).

All that campaign money and dude couldn't even get a decent line-up though. SMH. 

Guess it can't be as bad as that horrible perm Ms. Rice was working with.

The tie selection is eh, but oh well. I guess the leader of the free world can't be making appearances looking like Jerome Bettis. It's just embarrassing.

Combo breaker. Word to Killer Instinct.  

Pillars in the Wind

"People are often led to causes and often become committed to great ideas through persons who personify those ideas. They have to find the embodiment of the idea in flesh and blood in order to commit themselves to it."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - February 13, 1961

Thank you, Dr. King, for embodying justice and righteousness.

Thank you for being the change we still wish to see in our world.

Barack Obama's Chrysler 300C on eBay...

Buy It Now price: $1,000,000.

No..i didnt add any extra 0s.

For that price, i better get free complementary flights in AF1 and breakfast in bed on the daily from Mrs. Obama herself. and a little extra maybe.

Check the link to watch when Chrissi bids.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrysler-300-Series-C-Barack-Obamas-2005-Chrysler-300C-Obama-Car_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a16Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1309QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem330299932725QQitemZ330299932725QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks#ht_709wt_1597

For Max.

10. Black Thought

9. L-Boogie

8. GZA

7. Phife Dawg

6. Guru

5. LL

4. NaS

3. Chuck D

2. Big Daddy Kane

1. Rakim Allah

A Plea from the Porn Industry

What if this doesn't go through? Will we have nationalized porn?

With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind.
It's time for Congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America

.

As long as i can still get what i need for free, I'm good. Sorry Larry. Thank goodness
for the internet.

Michelle Obama 2009 calendar? *crosses fingers*

+99

shellanedeleon: .yesterday was a great birthday .. 22 goes down in the history books

Things I learned January 6, 2009:

1. Don't count on Ticketmaster.
2. Trips to Disneyland (no matter how short the stay) are always appropriate
3. People with birthdays on January 6 have this inexplicable attraction to each other, especially when you throw in the theme park element.
4. Don't text and drive.
5. Mobile AIM counts as texting too.
6. Floating on 80 mph gusts of wind is euphoric. The soreness after...not so much.
   
7. Complete understanding> surface comprehension.
8. Confidence negates being under dressed. People don't seem to care as long as you're spending money.
9. Rich people get pissy drunk too. If bartenders are nice enough, you might even get a drink named after you.
10. Parents are designed to ruin fun. Plan accordingly.
    

Two thumbs up for the day.
Birthdays are the best (even the ones that aren't yours).
344 days until the next one.
The best surprises are the ones that aren't planned.