3D

     I just want to take a minute here and vent about 3D. I generally hate 3D, it rarely adds to story and is a crappy gimmick to get people to say ooh and ahh as piece of something flies towards them via the screen. That being said if I don't have to pay for it, I find it much more enjoyable. I spend the last 30 minutes watching some 3D video reels on youtube on my Evo 3D phone and they look really cool. That being said, its just a compilation of ooh and ahh moments. I cringed a little inside when a baseball was coming towards the screen and sped up towards me but at no point was it related to any kind of story. I could see 3D adding a lot to stress of an audience if a main character is running from something or dodging things. I would be interested to see how it worked with 'My Bloody Valentine 3D'. I never saw it but it'd be interesting to see if it made it more frightening. Horror movies rarely have a story worth caring about however so I don't see the push for this generally unwanted tech. I realize that adding 3D increases profits by a lot, but how many of those people would have rather seen it in 2D and couldn't because the theaters only have a few freaking 2D showings and its more convenient generally to just see it in 3D. I had to go out of my way to see the Avengers in 2D as well as many other movies. The real issue here is that for me, after about 30 minutes I start getting headache. My eyes will generally start watering a few times during the showing and it's just not nearly as enjoyable. Perhaps it's because I don't have perfect vision. I still see well enough to read, drive and live day to day with no noticeable blur, however my left eye is farsighted. Maybe I'm just not getting the experience how the inventors intended. I hate wearing glasses. The benefit for me doesn't justify the stress. Many people who wear glasses or contacts may be shaking their heads and calling me lazy right now and I totally understand. The thing is though that my vision is really that close to being good. It's almost like I'd be wearing glasses to make a fashion statement because they don't do much. If I feel like my eyes are getting tired I may wear them to read but other than that I function as if I had perfect vision. Now that we're past that tangent, I really wonder if people would feel better about 3D if it didn't cost extra at the theater. I wonder if some people would still opt for 2D. Just an interesting thing to think about.

 Video I took with my Evo 3D

Cell phones suck

     So I decided to get a new cell phone. I'm not entirely sure why I decided right now is the time. I saw some deals, realized I could upgrade for about 100 bucks and was getting bored with mine. I use Virgin Mobile. I get a lot of crap from people since it's not a main national company like AT&T or Verizon. I couldn't pass up the deal however. I have used other pay as you go, no contract services for the past 4 years. I started out paying $60 for crickets unlimited. I switched a year later switched to boost mobile because they had better phones and a slightly cheaper price at $55. About 2 years ago my brother started with Virgin Mobile. He told me about a special deal for $25 bucks a month, 300 minutes, unlimited date and text. I was concerned about the coverage at that price, it seemed too good to be true. However I quickly found that it was the best move I'd ever made. I bought an LG Optimus V and ended up later rooting it and upgrading the android OS to gingerbread. It has done well until now. Technology has continued to move forward at a quick pace. I became annoyed with it's slow data, inability to use some newer apps, it was finally becoming annoyingly outdated. So I saw the HTC One V for $150 and made the jump. I was confused when it came from amazon and I couldn't activate it. I finally called Virgin Mobile customer service. She told me that the new phone was not compatible with the $25/month plan. I was not happy. But I finally obliged to pay $35 a month, which is what they have been charging for a year. I sold my old phone the same day for $55 which was nice. I was pretty happy with the One V, it had a bigger screen, faster processor and even newer OS. The trouble came when I charged it over night to find the next day it only showed 79% charge. I tried several things and was unable to get it fixed. I reset the phone which would kind of fix it, but the same problem would arise with the next charge. It showed that I had 16% power left, and then minutes later it just died. So I decided to return it and ordered the HTC EVO 3D 4G. It has been annoying so far. The phone is actually pretty cool, the 3D does work, it's not just a gimmick however it does have a very precise angle for it to work right. The 3D video works too. Not something I'll use a lot since as far as I know it only works with this phone. The phone is even faster than the One V, but it cost me another $80. With no contract services you are always buying the phone at its retail value because you are avoiding a contract. The front facing camera is HD which is great. I always think its funny when apple (who just introduced a front facing camera as a new thing) acts like old technology is the new cool thing. It's bugs me. Anyways the problems so far with this phone have been reception. It is SUPER spotty. So far I have lost signal quite a bit and the calls I have made are not clear. Hopefully I see some improvement soon. I love every feature so far. It is a big and fairly heavy phone but I really don't mind that. I guess we'll see how things turn out.

Movie Reviewers

     I have recently been intrigued by movie reviewers. There are so many things that influence whether or not a review of a movie is good and if a reviewer will be successful. They can't say that everything is great because they won't be reliable, and they can't hate everything because that would make them out to be a pompous douche. So you have to find a midway point, or not. Some are popular because they only like Oscar eligible style movies. Some are popular for their ability to predict what the masses will love. It is difficult to sift through and find a reviewer that has a very close taste to your own. I personally enjoy a youtube review channel called BeyondtheTrailer. They interview people that are leaving the theater, asking a few questions and making sure not to give away any spoilers. It's fantastic. Granted you are mostly seeing people who actually wanted to see the movie. Which makes total sense, why would you watch a movie review of a movie you definitely don't want to watch. At the same time it's great to know that some of the people may be like you and weren't sure if they would want to watch it. Sometimes even fans of the actor/movie/franchise end up hating the movie. I personally though for sure that the 3 Stooges movie would bomb terribly and get a terrible review. For some reason I didn't even think to account for kids watching it since they are a very old TV franchise. Kids loved it. I also found a movie critic named Jeremy Jahns, we mostly enjoy the same movies and I have been pretty happy with his reviews. Only once or twice have I ever watched a movie after seeing his review and wondered what Jeremy was thinking when he gave it a good/bad rating. Not sure why I decided to write on this subject. I just think it's amazing how many critics are out there, yet how incredibly difficult it can be to find one that agrees with you. I am also amazed that BeyondtheTrailer doesn't get more followers since it is a completely unbiased show of people leaving the theater. What more can you want?

Kick A$$ movie review

    
     Whoa, you aren't supposed to watch R rated movies are you? No, I try not to and am overall pretty successful at not doing it. However every once in awhile I break down and end up watching one that gets recommended to me over and over. First it was Tucker & Dale VS Evil, then Zombieland and now this. I must say I have wanted to see this movie for quite some time. Even when I do watch a movie I feel like I shouldn't, I always check the reason behind the rating. It's not always easy to tell with R rated movies however. The amount of gore I'll allow myself to be subjected to changes with time, it's also hard to know from someone's writing whether it will be too much gore for me. Everyone has their own opinions and I can only do my best to try and be true to me. Over the past few years I have become almost completely desensitized to swearing. Keep in mind I have never said a swear word in front of anyone, I don't feel the need to hold people to the same standard who aren't of my faith. The only time is bothers me is when it starts sounding unrealistic. I realize that depending on the part of the country your from that can vary to a degree, but for me its the west coast. I was raised in Vegas, I know how much people swear and if it starts sounding like they are trying too hard, or to little, by throwing in way too much swearing it bugs me and I'll watch something else. That being said, Kick Ass was right down my alley. Yes, it has a lot of swearing, but a realistic amount. Yes, it has gore, but its mild even compared to a TV show like The Walking Dead.

     The movie is about a kid who decides he wants to be a superhero, gets a costume and tries to fight some bad guys. He gets stabbed and hit by a car, and has pins and rods all over his bones. This makes him able to take more of a beating. He decides to keep trying even after almost dying. He finds out other people, who don't suck at crime fighting start to do things as well. The plot escalates from there. It is a near perfect blend of comedy and action. It is fairly dark however when you really start taking it apart and analyzing it. Casting is great, acting is great and the script is great. There are very few criticisms I can make about this movie. It got me to root for a character played by Nicholas Cage, a feat I thought impossible until I saw this movie. Nick plays a character called Big Daddy and his daughter Hit Girl fight alongside each other. Big Daddy was my favorite character. He was like Batman but somehow more awesome. No one has any actual powers and that's what makes this movie so great. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Scott Pilgrim VS the World. This movie definitely won't appeal to everyone, and numbers have proven that neither of these movies appeal to a ton of people and have so far been deemed cult classics. I give this 8 out of 10 however and if you're not put off by a lot of swearing and some occasional low level gore then you will probably enjoy this movie.

Oh gosh, one of these again

What happens when you have to find something to write about? This, this is what I've succumbed to. My sister got married this weekend and now I get to play catch up for the last 2 days.

 

A little about me, well, a lot about me.

100 things that may or may not be true

1. Last beverage: water
2. Last phone call: some random lady who wants to buy a video camera I have for sale on KSL.
3. Last text message: my cousin blake
4. Last song you listened to: Recoil by Nonpoint
5. Last time you cried: I can't remember, the closest I've been to crying lately was when Big Daddy was dying in the movie Kick A$$
HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice : I'm not a second chance kind of person.
7. Been cheated on: Not to my knowledge.
8. Kissed someone & regretted it?: Yes and no.
9. Lost someone special?: Yes. Haven't we all?
10. Been depressed?: Yeah.
11. Been drunk? Nope.

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Blue.
13. White.
14. A different kind of blue.

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:
15. Made new friends: Yeah.
16. Fallen out of love: No.
17. Laughed until you cried : Yes.
18. Met someone who changed you : Yes, quite unexpectedly.
19. Found out who your true friends were: No, I found that out already.
20. Found out someone was talking about you : Yes, but I get over that pretty quick.
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list: Yes, I don't typically kiss strangers.
23. How many kids do you want to have: 3-5.
24. Do you have any pets: No.
25. Do you want to change your name: I think I have an awesome name and I'd never change it.
26. What did you do for your last birthday: Went to Red Robin with friends.
27. What time did you wake up today : 10AM
28. What were you doing at midnight last night: Bowling with my future brother-in-law.
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: Visit the girl I'm dating in Vegas next weekend.
30. Last time you saw your father: Tonight, before he went to bed.
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: I wish I lived close to the girl I like.
32. What are you listening to right now: The whirring of the computer.
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: I used to have a very good friend named Tom. 34. What's getting on your nerves right now? Being in a long distance relationship when I want to be in a close distance relationship.
36. Whats your real name? Batman.
37. Relationship Status : I have a girlfriend.
38. Zodiac sign : Scorpio
39. Male or female : This question is stupid.
40. Elementary: Eisenburg
41. Middle School : Molasky
42. High school : Cimarron
43. Hair color: Blonde
44. Long or short : Short
45. Height : 5'10"
46. Do you have a crush on someone?: Yes
47. What do you like about yourself?: My sense of humor.
48. Piercings: No.
49. Tattoos: No.
50. Righty or lefty: Righty


FIRSTS :
51. First surgery: Appendix was removed at 12 years old
52. First piercing : No
53. First tattoo: Some quarter machine back in the day
54. First best friend : I'm thinking Phillip maybe?
55. First sport you joined: Teeball
56. First pet : Some stupid fish
57. First vacation: Probably Del Mar
58. First concert : I'm thinking Crossfade
59. First crush: I'm thinking possibly a Brittany in 5th Grade
60. First alcohol drink : The only thing I've had with alcohol is NyQuil

RIGHT NOW:
61. Eating: Toast
62. Drinking: Water
63. I'm about to : Answer the question
64. Listening to: Nothing, I'm not listening to anything, it's late.
65. Waitin for: Myself to be tired enough to fall asleep quickly.


YOUR FUTURE :
66. Want kids? : Yes
67. Want to get married? : Yeah
68. Careers in mind?: Yes


WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?
69. Lips or eyes : Eyes
70. Hugs or kisses: Depends on the person.
71. Shorter or taller: Shorter, really tall women freak me out.
72. Older or Younger : Same age or older.
73. Romantic or spontaneous : Spontaneous, cheesy romance makes my pancreas hurt
74. Nice stomach or nice arms: That is an odd one to lump together. Stomach I guess.
75. Tattoos or piercings: Ear piercing is fine, not a fan of either otherwise.
76. Sensitive or loud : Vague.
77. Hook-up or relationship : Relationship.
78. Trouble maker or hesitant : Hesitant.


HAVE YOU EVER :
79. Kissed a stranger: No
80. Drank hard liquor: No
81. Lost glasses/contacts: Yes
82. Kissed on a first date: No
83. Broken someone's heart: Yeah
84. Had your own heart broken: Yes
85. Been arrested?: No
86. Turned someone down : Yes
87. Cried when someone died : Yeah.
88. Liked a friend that is a girl? : Yeah.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
89. Yourself : More often than not.
90. Miracles : Absolutely
91. Love at first sight : No
92. Heaven : Yes
93. Santa Claus : Get real.
94. Kissing on the first date? : No
95. Angels: Yes


ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
96. Is there one person you want to be with right now? Yes
97. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? : No
98. Do you believe its possible to remain faithful forever? : Yes
100. Posting this as 100 Truths? You're welcome.

4 Life lessons I learned from Left 4 Dead 2

4 Life lessons I learned from Left 4 Dead 2

#4 Everything in life is out to kill you.

Nature and time want you dead. Whether it’s a crazy serial killer in the forest, some malfunctioning elevator or a bad case of being really old, you’re going to die eventually. The first time I played Left 4 Dead my character was sitting quietly in a hallway and randomly a horde of extremely angry,  athletic zombies came pouring out from what seemed to be every direction. At that moment I realized I had three options. One, I could freeze up and die. Two, run for my life and hope I don’t die.  Third option, engage in a good old fashioned zombie beat down fighting my way through.

 
creativedoxfoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
(Sheesh, how many numbers are gonna be in this thing? 13, probably. I haven’t finished writing yet.)

I’ve responded in each way at some point. Heck, I still freeze up if a wasp gets near me. My first instinct during my teenage years was to run from problems or act like they weren’t there. Hint: Neither one or two are good ways to approach a problem. Well, I guess it’s OK to run from the Guy on a Buffalo, or if the problem might kill you. Definitely run if the problem is trying to kill you. When I got to my 20’s I hit the ‘fight through it’ phase which I am currently in. Things aren’t perfect for me but they are a hell of a lot better than when I was running from problems and standing still around wasps.

 
(Rosemary Ratcliff) (That bastard.)
 

#3 Spending a little time looking around may save your life.

Patience these days seems to run pretty thin, for the most part we live hectic lives and when we want things, we want them now. Which I imagine is why there is a drive thru almost everywhere.

 
creativedoxfoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
(Hi honey, Macy’s now has a drive thru!)

Many people say time is money. In Left4Dead, time is life or death, because every second spent doing anything but running towards a saferoom is increasing the odds that a decaying flash mob may try and rip your face off (or do a musical number, only time will tell). Sometimes we need to take a minute and see what is off to the sides. In the game you may find pills or an item that could help you make it out alive, even if you’re limping and about to crumble.

 
(phanlop88) (In real life random pills and shots will most likely not help you.)

As someone who occasionally has to live on a tight budget I began looking for better ways to buy things, be it food/electronics/whathaveyou. I saved a ton of money shopping online, to the point where I can’t walk into many stores without being completely horrified at their prices. This strategy got me through tough times, even though finding good deals and waiting for things wasn’t the path of least resistance.
 

#2 Some people will screw you over for no reason.
 

Not everyone has the ‘fight through it’ attitude, an example we recently saw on The Walking Dead when Shane shot his comrade in the leg. You might think in a video game, where the worst thing that could happen is fake dying and starting over, that people would always try and help their team no matter how bad things got. Well, that’s not the case. Some people you don’t know may shoot you for no reason. In Left 4 Dead the most likely case is that a teammate gets nervous and ditches you when you need them because they want to make it, even after you give them your pills.

(renjith krishnan) (Once again, random pills do not solve life’s problems.)

 
What I thought was a good friend of mine for a few years, one day confessed to me that she had skin cancer and asked me if she could borrow $100. At the time I had a crappy job and was going to community college, she was asking for a lot but I was able to scrape together the money. She then took it and went MIA for a few months.

 
http://morguefile.com/archive/display/671162 (That bastard.)

The next time I saw her she had leased a brand new Jetta and was moving into a nicer apartment. The borrowed money was never heard from again. Also the cancer was gone. A few years later a co-worker of mine pulled me aside one day and told me how he was in a tough spot and needed to borrow $200. I knew it was serious when the tears began to flow. I told him the best I could do was $120 and even though he never got back on his feet, as far as I know, he managed to pay me back $80. He did this even after I had repeatedly told him not to worry about it. Point is, in times of panic, people show their true colors.

 
 (David Castillo Dominici) (Purple!)
 

#1 Good friends will stick with you, even if it means you all go down. 

There are a few people I really enjoy playing with online. Not because they have silly voices or always win because they play way too much. I like to play on their team because I know that when piss hits the fan, they’ll stick around until we either make it through, or die trying.

 
(Piss hitting the fan.)

I have a few select friends in real life that fit this category. Even if one of us makes a mistake or acts like kind of a douche, I know they won’t throw me under the bus. (I did find a picture of someone being thrown under the bus, but it wasn’t pretty. Neither was the douche picture.) I’ve learned that in life you need to find those kind of people and get them on your team. I also recommend finding a special someone with those qualities. If you get around to it after all that, kill as many wasps as you can.

 
(The more the merrier.)

Daily blog, for 10 days

     Awesome. I am going to be responsible for writing about something every day for 10 days straight. That's never happened before so this should be interesting. Well luckily for you there's actually been things going on lately. Most currently I have been working on a kickstarter video for a friend of mine who is working for a major mobile app company. He is an old mission companion of mine and has seen some of my past videos and knows I am currently in the digital media program at UVU. I accepted the challenge to basically take full responsibility for this film. From the script to the final product I will be in charge. The nice thing is I can make a few grand if they meet their goal. If they don't however I leave with nothing but a video for my reel. Either way I consider this a win win situation. Having a video that makes good money that is virtually free to produce will be a big credit to me. I was very cautious about taking the offer at first because I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. They want to finish this by October and the closer it gets the better I feel about where and how things are working out. I asked a teacher that I had if I could use his office to shoot in since that is where a lot of the scenes take place. We went to check it out today and it looks awesome. I think the video will really gain some validity using this office as if its our own. I had to leave but I guess my friend and his associate talked to him after I left and he offered the use of his delorian for the shoot. People love that stuff, giving our video yet another edge to succeed. I am almost done with the story board

 and will then be creating the animatic most likely tomorrow. Hopefully I can use it and get credit for it in my storyboarding class as well. That's all for today and I guess I'll end it the same way I end my youtube videos, over and outie.