Why it matters.

I'm much more scared of Obama losing than I am of McCain winning. I like Sen. Obama. I mean I really like him. I see him talk and I think he means what he says. I see the look in his eye as he shakes people's hands. He's not giving them empty smiles. He is deliberately trying to make contact if only for a split second. Often he doesn't smile when shaking hands. Which to me shows sincerity and acknowledgement of the other person and not just a mass of potential voters. I think he cares about people. I honestly think he wants to do good. I also know that he wont be all I want him to be when he makes it to office. Even now he has become something larger than himself. He is no longer a man just trying to do right by the people he represents in congress. He is now the figurehead of the democratic party. He must now make compromises as such. But he will be the one to ultimately draw the line on where to stand fast and where to give. I've read only part of his book but I think his perspective is a far cry from the tunnel vision years of government service seems to induce. I think he can step outside his role and make decisions for the people.

I look at Sen. McCain and I see many similarities. I see that he's taken on the same role as figurehead of the republican party. Or rather I see that it's taken him on. I think the maverick has been very much broken, reigned in and is now being paraded around the county fair for everyone to admire. I've admired some of McCain's decisions in the past. He has shown true tenacity and the willingness to do what's right, whether I would agree with it or not. But now I feel he is caught up in this whirlwind of a campaign. He has also now something bigger than himself. I honestly believe that McCain wants to do what's right. (Again whether I agree with him or not) But when he opens his mouth it's no longer the maverick talking it's the Republican party talking. The Republican party is so scared of repeating the disaster that was the Bush administraion that they've reined McCain and the Straight Talk Express in so much he himself has been caught at a lost for words. Literally. I find it hard to believe that such a decorated war veteran that's been through what Sen. McCain's been through would voluntarily use it to gain public affection the way the McCain campaign has sought to. If Sen. McCain is victorious in the final election, I really hope he is able to throw off the shackles of his present campaign administrators and once again become the Maverick he claims he still is. But with recent let-downs like Palin, I doubt it.

On a final note. I'd like to reiterate why I appreciate Sen. Obama and want him to be my next president. Over 5 years ago, I saw something very bad happening. The country I love was acting like the bad guy. Like many citizens, I took to the streets to protest the completely unjustified invasion of Iraq. And standing there with my fellow citizens of many different colors, and backgrounds I felt that we might actually be doing something worthwhile. That somebody might be listening. But that idiot in the white house didn't bat an eye when we told him we knew what he was doing was not only wrong but insanely dangerous for the safety of our country. And they ALL let us down. The Republicans, the Democrats, Sen McCain and Sen Clinton. It was politics as usual and we sent our soldiers (my friends) to kill people that were forced to fight with knives in their backs. And although his voice was not nearly as loud as it is now. There was one political hopeful who was not afraid to say that this was wrong. One person who listened to the voice of the people he served and said that not everyone will mindlessly agree with this farce of a justification for a preemptive strike. One person who stood up for me.

Searching for some semblance of direction on this odd Wednesday night. I'm 27 years old and I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I'm pretty sure I don't want to grow up. But there's something inside that tells me I should.

Here in Austin, it's been fun. But also polarizing. You begin to understand who it is that matters. The loose collections of memories you've become. There's been times in my life where I waged war against the distance and the incontinence of friends past with repeated missed calls and thinly veiled guilt-tripping voice messages. The champion of friendship to which time and/or space bear no obstacle worth mentioning. But I have lapsed before. And I fear the tides may turn once at last washing this brave skipper and skiff against the rocks.

Back on the Block

So, I'm in the midst of a job change. I had a good job with AT&T supporting the smartphones, but I just couldn't handle the split weekend. Well that is to say I could handle it for a while but it seemed to take years to get 2 days of in a row due to their special scheduling needs.

Well I'm looking at new jobs and I do have some options. But they will all be subservient to the goal of getting me to the level of a working writer. That is making a decent income as a writer. My interests are so varied I can only imagine writing about the thousands of things I find interesting as satisfying.

To get a force writing plan going and make some cash doing it. I'm joining Forum Booster. They pay for forum posts. We shall see how it goes.

Relocate.

So I'm in Austin now. Been here a few months. About to change jobs. More to come...

Weekender

My 'net access is spotty these days so I'm posting from Steven's house today. But this is a big weekend:

• Read-through of ¡Bike_Gang! is going nicely (as I type)
  
• House has been bid on and I think we've found the new place.
• Meeting with James tomorrow about Nerd Alert.
• Chewbacca got arrested for head-butting a tour guide.

But isn't that just how wookies be?

Children of Clive

I could sit here and type about how great Children of Men was but I'm too busy inhaling the book on the right. But mine's special because it's been run over by a forklift.

On a side note I have the closest thing to a mancrush my wiring will alow on Clive Owen. Not that his performance was particularly amazing in Children of Men. It was good, just not Closer, good.

Cast out your pods!

Check out Benjamen Walker's Theory of Everything. It was a lot better last time I listened to it maybe a year and a half ago. He used to always speak in this tortured broken voice that was both annoying and intriguing at the same time. Now he's all NPR and lost a good chunck of street cred. Still a decent podcast.

any other good one's out there?

Odd Couple

So I spent a good part of this afternoon watching Matrix Reloaded followed by Punch-Drunk Love. Here's my assessment of the two:

The only redeeming quality of Matrix Reloaded and ultimately the entire series is Laurence Fishburne. Which is why the 3rd was so bad, little to no Fishburne.

Punch-Drunk Love is a modern day retelling of the popeye story. The none to subtle hinting of the song from the original motion picture (which is better than you remember), should not be overlooked. Barry Egan is both Popeye and Bluto(Brutus), at war with himself. Bluto manifests in his violent outbursts and the large-imposing blue suit. Popeye is of course a lonely sailor lost in a sea of anxiety caused by the Sea Hag (his sisters). Both terribly sexually frustrated. Then there's the Goons or the blond brothers. Then a million other things I could go over but I'll leave it up to you. Here's the theory Paul Thomas Anderson an admitted Altman devotee, saw Altman's Popeye and had to make his own version. This isn't the first time. Magnolia is Anderson's Short Cuts.

Take the above as seriously as you'd like.

One more thing..

There also maybe a new comic artist on the horizon....stay tuned.

Nerd Alert, indeed.

So Stephen hipped me to his friends' online video game shows. And I had the pleasure of meeting him. His name is Jim. His one-man videos are great. But I'd really like to help him turn them into something more. See his stuff here.

This may very well be the next item under the project column at right. Hopefully Jim and I will be able to sit down and talk sometimes this week.

As a little teaser I have a music collab. I'm trying to make happen. If it comes together it will blow your pants off. That's a guarantee.

2 weeks late

So here's the deal, I trimmed up bit to wrestle last year. Well after all hell broke loost this past year, I stopped watching what I ate. My job become more desk-tied and I was drinking probably a bit more than I should have been. So now it's time to go back into action. Tom Venuto has a great ebook on natural fitness, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. And a website to support the plan. I used his plan previously to trim up and found it not necessarily easy but fulfilling. I feel good when I'm on it. Some cardio time, lifting and plenty of quality protein and carbs does a body good.

Rework1

So the big plan for this year is to get ¡Bike_Gang! completed and to the masses. I have a small acting part in the live action/animated trilogy of shorts. But my main role is Executive Producer. The majority of my work will be happening pre and post production. In preproduction I'm working to make sure everything is done in a timely and professional manner. In post I'll be getting the heat on the streets and cheeks in the seats.

On November 11th, (my bday no doubt) following the largest comic book convention in town we threw a live art show together that was a huge success. We raised a grand for Heroes 4 Heroes. And got the word out about the film with some Wizard magazine coverage no less.

My hope is to have the final cut by the same time next year to debut either at the convention or at the ultra-hip after party.

Back Again

I've redesigned my blog with the new, easier to work with blogger. Right now I'm in love with it. But things will undoubtedly change. I love the pic of my new favorite comic-book character Thanos in the upper-right corner. Wolverine used to be, but his character has deevolved horribly since I used to read comic books religiously as a teen. I hear the Wolverine movie will be out in 2008. It will probably suck. I should have somebody to write a Thanos script and get Darren Aronofsky to direct it. Using his new fangled Fountain effects.

BTW I have seen a particularly few amount of films this year but The Fountain and Scorsese's The Departed are where it's at for my money. Oh and Miami Vice was both better and truer to the original series than anyone wants to admit.



I've been preaching the gospel for almost 3 years now. So here is a big I told you so. The world finally agrees with me that the BEST show on television and quite possibly in history is The Wire.

Frankie R. Faison as Commisioner Burell
truly shines in season 4

Nice.

I went very hard today, probably too hard. 8 mins @ 170. I couldn't go anymore. I was getting that burning sensation in the back of my throat. Not as long as I wanted to go but harder than I planned. So progress is made. Good.

I think I'm going to do the diabetes walk in september. I should have done something like this a long time ago. Thanks to Sarah R. for the idea.

I will attempt to keep my current schedule over the weekend. The weekend is what fucks me up. Except Sunday because I have a party to go to on Saturday night after I help Ryon move in. No drinking. It will be tough. Parties are so much more fun when drinking. Hopefully that fiesty little puerto rican will be there, ignoring her boyfriend and keeping me busy.

I had a talk with and old friend last night that mainly involved a lot of yelling and threats. How refreshing...

Champagne

Last night I dreamed something cool but I dont remember it.

Resolution will not come. It must be found.

BTW 8 minutes hard today. Tomorrow 10 @ 160.

So Dork.

Last night I dreamed of alien invasion and horrible curses put upon households by decrepit woman wandering into houses. I also dreamed I beat the shit out of some two-bit prowrestler in an afternoon MMA fight. It diminished the credibility of his match scheduled for after the sun went down.


I'm looking at the edge of what might be one of the hardest periods in my life. Familial obligations overwhelm me. Feelings of abandonement and hopelessness abound. I've lost all sense of accomplishment from wrestling by completing a copletely winless season. I'm out of shape. And so very poor (financially). As far as women go, all I seem to attract are poor, damaged souls in need of a launching pad.

But enough of the self-pity. I'm picking myself back up. I'm standing up. Oh and my friends are doing amazing things.

Post X-mas

Viva King Kong! oh wait.. I guess that's a bit ill-fated.

So things have been a bit rough and tumble in the princedom these days. The patriarch's resources coming up a bit short has left me with a much larger burden than expected. But mostly it's all the non-material emotional bullshit that's the heaviest.

I got my ass handed to me at the wrestling tournament but I will be wrestling much more soon and will be apart of the inaugural UTA wrestling team. Now If I could just resist the urge to go and spend ridiculous amounts of money on getting me and my friends drunk, I might actually be able to repeat some prior success.

I've been regulated to dial-up internet service.

My first and last christmas present was a punch in the stomach from my best friend, in the front lawn of my parents house at 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning.

I wish I was back in Corpus Christi...why'd I leave? oh that's right, I'm supposed to be trying to forget.

This is all a pretty bit bottom-heavy. I'm happy to be wrestling again. I'm happy to be the same super-cool dude I've always been.

I've got two thing in life, my family and my friends and I dont break either of those for nobody.

After years of waiting...

Well it looks like it's going to happen after all. I'll be wrestling a gain this saturday.

It's kind of hard to believe after 6 years I'll be competing in the ring again. I've got to cut weight though.

It's already starting to put me in a strange but familiar state of mind. I'm not sure if it's because of the match coming up or the strenuous conditions I'm putting my body through. Only taking in about 1200 calories a day and I spend my b-day weekend working out about 3-5 hours a day. I woke up this morning at 5 to go run at the gym.

I wish I could explain the way I feel... but it makes sense. Since friday, I've started to feel more detached then I normally do. Less and less a person who inhabits a place with similar people running around.

I dont have any delusions of grandeur. I've been out of the game a long time and havent had partners my size to workout with. But I am somewhat in shape thanks to the past few months of hard work.

I've never had to cut weight before. But I think I can do it.

It still hasn't sunk in that I'll be wrestling in less than a week.

I'm thankful because I've got a lot of people behind me.

I also might be boxing in the Golden Gloves tournament in February. My dad was 2nd in the state at Golden Gloves, we'll see how I do. In the meantime I've got a lot of work ahead of me.

Black-Eyed Journalism

Two More articles in the Tarrant County College paper:

here:

http://www.tccd.edu/collegian/articles101905/wrestlershead.html

and here:

http://www.tccd.edu/collegian/articles101905/ptkspeaker.html

and it looks like this week I get the back cover page.

I attribute my journalism success to the unconventional interview techniques I employ. It's amazing, the information you'll get out of someone when you show up with your clothes completely soaked in sweat, a black eye, red-swollen knuckles that can barely grip a pen and a big, toothy grin.

You bet your balls it's Neil Diamond

Why is Japanese Pro Wrestling so much cooler than US pro wrestling?