catching up on life

Thursday:

After work, met up with Mike and Michael for a trip to Arts on Alberta's Last Thursday celebration. It's been a while since I'd taken part in it all -- in the few years since, it's nearly reached critical mass. It's still fun and enjoyable, but it's starting to get that New Orleans Mardi Gras vibe: to some people, it's more about saying you went rather than taking part. But, regardless, there was a lady selling lemonade in 10+ different flavors, yummy pulled pork, a robot costume with a fully-functioning Atari in its belly, a cow-suit on rollerblades, delicious eye candy, and some thing called "art"...whatever that means.

From there, we headed over to the Hollywood Theatre for Ink.

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Friday:

Started dogsitting the two puppies in SE. It's been going a lot smoother than anticipated, which is nice. Plus, the apartment has A/C and a PS3, which is nicer. But rather than trying out Metal Gear Solid 4 or something more capable of pushing the PS3's limits, I've been locked onto Lego Batman. I tried picking up Uncharted, but threw my hands up during the first full-throttle run-n-gun.

Had dinner with Jay, then he and I met up with Vadim, Kevin, Mike, and Michael at the Hollywood for a screening of The Wiz.





An overlong, bloated fabulous mess of a film filled with costume designs that have inspired generations of drag queens, as well as incohesive set designs and locations. Each different piece or scene feels like it's cut from a different film. But, it was fun...even if I was distracted throughout by Michael Jackson's unnecessary prosthetic double chin.

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Saturday:

Attended my first sitting with the Graphic Novel Book Club in the morning.
We were supposed to discuss B.P.R.D., vol 1, but since the group consensus was "M'eh..." we didn't discuss it for very long. We did talk about other books though, and a few other random things. And I found out that I wasn't the only fan of the Josie & the Pussycats movie.
It seems like a nice, fun group and I'll definitely be going back for next month's meeting.

After that, I spent the majority of the day with the doggies and playing more Lego Batman.

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Sunday:

Started back to my work week.

Had a wonderful lunch with the wonderful Stephen who came down for a brief weekend stint.
And afterwards, I spent a bit of [Portland Bookstore]'s dime walking around the store and discussing/recommending books with him.

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And that's all I got.
I start my beginner's Photoshop class on Thursday.

And I'll probably play some more Lego Batman.

Until the Light Takes Us

Until the Light Takes Us
Saturday, 5/30/09, 9:30pm
Hollywood Theater

from IMDB:
Until the Light Takes Us is a feature length documentary chronicling the history, ideology and aesthetic of Norwegian black metal - a musical subculture infamous as much for a series of murders and church arsons as it is for its unique musical and visual aesthetics. This is the first (and only) film to truly shed light on a movement that has heretofore been shrouded in darkness and rumor and obscured by inaccurate and shallow depictions. Featuring exclusive interviews and verité with the musicians, a wealth of rare, seldom seen footage from the "Inner Circle"s earliest days, Until the Light Takes Us explores every aspect of the controversial movement that has captured the attention of the world. This is the movie that gets inside the minds and hearts of black metal's musicians. The filmmakers moved to Norway, living and filming there for two years. The movie is not about them though - it's about the extraordinary people and events that make black metal unique, unforgettable, and inevitable. This is black metal as seen through the eyes of those who created it, of those who live it, of those who are at the center of the story of black metal.