Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Cosplay is love.



Samhain 2006 is almost in the history books in this time zone. We got a grand total of four costumed kids, all in one trick-or-treating party, who knocked on our door. I was feeling under the weather (still am) so I didn't indulge in any Halloween funstuff. I attended one party this year, but it was on Saturday the 28th at Woodbury. I wore the Jedi Habit and actually didn't look half bad. However, Woodbury has a fashion design program, and some of the costumes were pretty damn cool. The two best were Queen Elizabeth I (not historically accurate but really, really neat looking) and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas. Between those two I hadn't a prayer. We bailed early.

Between school work and getting one last piece of the Jedi Habit together I have been sort of taking it easy but not entirely. I will actually have a real live Inner Tunic in time for my first two events with Sunrider Base, Rebel Legion. One of these events is open to the public: Cinemax is throwing a "Do you have what it takes to be a Jedi" event at the 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica on Saturday, November 4th. 10am to 5pm. One day before my birthday. w00t. I get to do Halloween both early and late this year.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Dang, I haven't updated this in a while.

Oh well, time to just do it.

I was born at Cedars of Lebanon in Hollywood. The former hospital is now the Scientologist world headquarters. This is an example of the area's odd permutations over the years.

The Hollywood Wax Museum has been in operation now since 1965. It's not the greatest wax museum in the world...it's known for its singularly bad renditions of the Hollywood illuminati. It's also known for odd placement of its bad wax statues: The Terminator T-800 from the original movie with its face blown off is right next to the Last Supper. The world's weirdest and cheesiest wax museum actually is in Japan, but I wouldn't know it if Patrick Macias hadn't pointed that fact out to me.

Madame Tussauds, known for their uncannily GOOD wax statues, is now looking to put down stakes in Hollywood. They have their eyes on a site right next to the Chinese Theatre. This is bumming out the current owners of Hollywood and Highland, who also own the property, because they would rather see something more upscale and less touristy in that spot.

OK, I have the solution. Madame Tussaud's should just buy out the Hollywood Wax Museum. It's a building with lots of history behind it, and there's oceans of room for improvement there. Auction off the cheesy statues on eBay, because there is a known market for them. The place has a cult following just because it's so bad. Want a really funky-looking Shirley Temple for your living room? Bid for it. Then gut the place and start over again. No need to build, just get rid of all the cheesy props and stuff and do the place some justice.

Last year people were talking about the imminent closure of Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park. The Hollywood Wax Museum kind of lived on that genuinely cool place's coattails, and benefitted from confusion between the two places. They shut their doors on November 1st, 2005 after a final Halloween fling.

Tussaud's could end all the confusion and have no competition anywhere nearby if they just bought the odd landmark. Added bonus: it's right next to the Snow White Coffee Shop, the coffee shop that Walt Disney started because he couldn't get a decent cup of coffee anywhere near his Hyperion Avenue original studio. Another added bonus: none of the folks who want to make Hollywood Boulevard more upscale will be offended by "yet another touristy attraction." They would just be displacing one for another. A simple solution to an otherwise confounding problem.

Monday, October 02, 2006

v2.0 tutorial main taping today.


Version 2.0


Still shot slide-show at Flickr.

It might take me a while to edit because the sound is even worse this time than with v1.0. I am going to have to write narration and get some production music together for this. I've also got schoolwork to do...wow, school work, what a concept!

Hope you like it...you'll be the first to know when I'm done.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

It never rains in SoCal...

...except when it does.

Gonna have to postpone the taping because we're getting sprinkled on. I could care less...in fact, I like the rain, and would love to see more of it. However, it's not healthy for a video camera not protected by a water-resistant housing, a camera accessory I don't have.

To look on the bright side, the folks fighting the huge Day Fire in Ventura County are getting a little cooperation from Mother Nature, finally.