So, after flying out on a red-eye Friday, October 31st (Halloween night) and landing around 7:30 A.M. in Orlando, I’ve been busy catching up on things I’ve left unattended for 3 months while simultaneously working on the final items for the auction catalog. It is only just in the past two days that I’ve gone and trekked around Sebastian/Vero Beach for a spell, which I’ll continue to do tomorrow when I hit Best Buy and see how much things have changed. That place is probably the same hell-hole that I left willingly—and in an interesting fashion—back in 2007, but it’ll be interesting to go back in there and see how everyone is doing in the box. Everyone who is still employed there, anyway.

So, on my little pilgrimages over the course of two days, I’ve driven around the city to my old haunts. I haven’t really touched based with any friends locally, because I simply haven’t had the time since I’ve come back, but I’ve been to the mall and to the movie theater (saw “Zack and Miri Make A Porno”, “Madagascar 2″, and “Rocknrolla”). It’s an interesting experience going to the AMC Theatres in Vero, seeing as you only pay 4.50 to 9.50 for a movie ticket and the theater is only filled with 10 or so people… even less.

In Vancouver, the theater I went to—the ScotiaBank Theater—you paid an easy 12.50 CDN for a movie ticket, and $20 for any snacks. Also, the cost for things is just a bit higher, even with the exchange rate. (Although, at the end, there was a 20 cent difference between their dollar and ours, i.e. $.80 USD = $1 CDN.) Normally, I think those prices are just verging on more than ridiculous, however when you work 60+ hours a week, you really don’t care much and just need to take a break from all your worrries.

On the other hand, Vancouver is a bit more my thing, since I can walk to virtually any store from where I stayed. In Florida, lots of freakin’ driving… dirt roads… and little to really do.

So, anyway, back to my pilgrimage: I took my old driving routes from the mall to home, and ate at the same places I ate at when I worked at Best Buy. (Today, Chick-fil-A, tomorrow… crappy Subway.)

All this makes me very glad that I’m in the position to do what I want to do now, instead of going through the same old routines on a daily basis. It’s extremely eerie, particularly as it seems to me that I’ve lived another life for four years as I try to trace my steps.

Perhaps it’s just that I’ve grown into my own as a person that’s changed my perspective so much? I honestly don’t know… even as I type this, my mind wanting to wander off and my body wanting to get some sleep.

It’s also pretty pathetic—and I realize that as I’m writing this—but there’s a sense of needing to remind myself where I came from. Particularly when I’ve worked through a lot of my personal issues over the past year, as I’ve dedicated to trying to build up things from scratch, only to face one more obstacle after the other.

However, I’m pleased that things are starting to pay off now. A website that I started only as a hobby with the collaboration of uncounted others has given me a tremendous job opportunity with the auction thing, and I’m still working with Lawrence on getting White Eye Productions off the ground… not to mention the fact that I’m starting my own LLC, which I’m finalizing this week…

So… that’s where I’m at right now.

And yes, like I always say, I hope to update this blog a little more repeatedly… cuz there’s a lot of stuff I’d like to share with everyone, even those I’ve lost contact with over the years.

So say we all!

So today Alec and I went to see the Clone Wars movie. It was a nicely done movie, and enjoyable. Obviously, it was your basic Star Wars action flick, and if you’re a Star Wars fan you’d enjoy it.

There’s not much of a story here, and the main draw is the impressive CGI. The actress who voiced Padme Amidala is most impressive, she sounds like Natalie Portman did in the live-action flicks. Of course, the only three actors to actually voice their characters from the live action flicks are Samuel L. “Motherfucking Snakes” Jackson, Anthony Daniels, and Christopher Lee.

There’s not much of a story here. It’s basically Anakin being assigned a Padawan learner who is little older than a “youngling” (oh, how I loathe that term…) during the Clone Wars. Of course, seeing as we all know how things are going to turn out, there’s not much here to really invest your interest in. The story is nothing spectacular, and it really ought to be given the fact that it has the misfortune of being a glorified prequel film.

Otherwise, it’s a decent way to kill an hour and a half, but I would pay to see the early showing, since it’s not a movie that’s worth 12 bucks to see. (Yes, that’s what it costs in Canada: $12.50 CDN.)

I did take pictures of CIC, but they won’t make it to the internet until the last half of Season 4 is completely aired.

And having said Season 4, I will reveal that I’ve watched six episodes of the last half of Season 4. I won’t bother gushing how great it is, since… like the Matrix… you have to see it for yourself. Also, I believe you guys can make up your own frakking minds when you see it. And that’s all I’m saying about it, because I’ve signed an NDA.

Anyway, outside of BSG, Alec and I are going to see “Clone Wars” in the theater, which is about ten minutes walking time from the apartment where I’m at.

Of course, the very nice apartment that Alec Peters and I am staying in is a good 20 minutes (by car) to Vancouver Film Studios, which is where Battlestar Galactica was filmed.  (They will be filming the movie up here, and are in pre-production for this.) I’ve met pretty much the main heads of both the art and props departments up here, in addition to the producers: Richard Hudolin, Doug MacLean, Harvey Frand, and others.

I’ve also walked a majority of the sets. Been to CIC, the pilots room, the Cylon baseship set—the hangar bay set was locked down, so we couldn’t get there. Saw the hero Viper Mark II cockpit, Colonial One all in pieces (yes, it comes apart, and they’re breaking it down now to store it, since other shows will start shooting at the stage it presently occupies)… lots of stuff.

Of course, I don’t have pictures of the sets yet. And, to be frank, I probably won’t release some of them until after the series airs, simply out of fear of being spoilery. That, and I signed a NDA, so I deeded over my first born to NBC Universal should I spill something. As I will have access to the final episodes, not to mention the fact that we’ll be having input in the new movie prop and set decoration (”set dec” for short), that was necessary.

And, as part of our job, we’re going to be documenting the breaking of the sets, so those pictures will end up on the Battlestar Props website.

In any event, here’s a picture of the view from the balcony of the apartment, since it’s the only picture I have of Vancouver so far. Yeah, I’m that busy. LOL

I’m very happy that this is the case. That is all.

I leave 8:30 A.M. ET on Wednesday, and will land at 5:30 P.M. PT in Vancouver.

I also went to see Hellboy 2. It was an OK flick, and I almost fell asleep at the end of it (although I was running on three hours of sleep, so that likely had something to do with it). Otherwise, it was a well-executed time waster. Fun, predictable, and nice to look at. Plot is very linear and the bad guys looked like the freaking Wraith from Stargate Atlantis… I kid you not. I was expecting John Sheppard to come out and start mowing the war-mongering prince down with a FN P-90.

Not something I’d add to my DVD collection, but good enough to put on in the background when it hits HBO, Skinamax, or Showtime.

Read the truth here:

1. AT&T on the 809 #
2. Snopes.com on the 809 #

Welcome to my personal, personal blog-o. As you might notice, my “earlier material” is filled with foul language, psychotic rants, and some insight into my loves and hatreds. My earlier material is from when I really needed to let off steam (i.e. when I was figuring out what the fuck was up with my life), so I rarely used this blog to actually reflect on the “good things in life”. Whatever that still is.

What you will not see on my website from hereon out (or in, as the case may be), courtesy of the late, great George Carlin (from his CD, Parental Advsiory: Explicit Lyrics):

Now I’d like to begin tonight with an opening announcement: Because of the FCC, I’m never sure what it is I’m allowed to say. So..so, I now have my own official policy: This is the language you will not be hearing tonight.

You will not hear me say “bottom line”, “game plan”, “role model”, “scenario”, or “hopefully”. I will not “kick back”, “mellow out”, or “be on a roll”. I will not “go for it” and I will not “check it out”; I don’t even know what “it” is. And when I leave here I definitely will not “boogie”. I promise not to refer to anyone as a “class act”, “a beautiful person” or a “happy camper”. I will also not be saying “what a guy.” And you will not hear me refer to anyone’s lifestyle. If you want to know what a moronic word “lifestyle” is, all you have to do is realize that in a technical sense, Atilla the Hun had an active outdoor lifestyle. I will also not be saying any cute things like “moi.” And I will not use the French adverb “tre” to modify any English adjectives, such as “tre awesome,” “tre gnarly,” “tre fabou,” “tre intense,” or “tre out-of-sight.” I will not say “concept” when I mean “idea”. I will not say “impacted” when I mean “affected”. There will be no “hands-on state-of-the-art networking”. We will not “maximize”, “prioritize”, or “finalize”…and we definitely will not “interface”. There will also…there will also be no new-age lingo spoken here tonight. No support-group jargon from the human potential movement. For instance, I will not “share” anything with you. I will not “relate” to you and you will not “identify” with me. I will give you no “input”, and I will expect no “feedback”. This will not be a “learning experience”, nor will it be a “growth period”. There’ll be no sharing, no caring, no birthing, no bonding, no parenting, no nurturing. We will not “establish a relationship”, we will not have any “meaningful dialogue” and we definitely will not spend any “quality time”. We will not be supportive of one another, so that we can get in touch with our feelings in order to feel good about ourselves. And if you’re one of those people who needs a little space…please…go the fuck outside.

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion:You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have high agreeableness. You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly. Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone. You give people the benefit of the doubt and don’t mind giving someone a second chance. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You’re generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there’s a few emotional bumps you’d like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You’ll try almost anything interesting, and you’re constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseur of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

Seriously, I read this article at Bloomberg that mentions that Best Worst Buy lowered their earnings forecast for the year. Of course, while I could care less about their earnings (I hope the company and its outlets of pure evil burns to the ground in a night of blood and of fire) I read the comments that came from the top people at that company…

They were excuses. They cited the increasing cost of gas, the slumping housing market, and the economy. They also noted that people don’t need anything Best Buy has to offer, since all of it is electronic junk anyway.

Of course, their comments were ones that supervisors at my Best Buy made over a year ago, when the economy began turning to shit.

The response from upper management: No excuses, just results.

That became the standard answer for everything. Staffing. Missing budgets by several grand. Basically, anything worthy of honest complaint or observation that went against the bullshit from on high.

Now I find it funny that the same people who condoned that bullshit line are regurgitating this feedback from supervisors (and intelligent managers) for the press.

Of course, I’m not curious as to the messages management and those minions under them will receive from on high… because the message to them will be quite different than what the big-wigs defecate to the press.

What will happen in the next six months? Simple. Restructures. People losing jobs.

Thank god I got out.