this is obvious but...


SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS



HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE: HILARIOUS EDITION.

I think I laughed more in the first 20 minutes of this movie than I did in the other movies combined. And, they somehow made it work...it wasn't forced, it was genuinely funny. Also, the comedy (and even the cheesy romance bits) did NOT detract from the serious/somber nature of the story.

The Bad:
-while the "attack on the burrow" scene it self was beautiful, the fact that they extricated the fight scene from the end and transplanted it into the middle of the movie was a terrible choice. their attempt to create two different emotional resonances by spreading these scenes out was a failure; in the end, it made the ending lackluster.
- Bellatrix had a bit of a poor role in this movie. It felt like she was in there just because they had already established her character...but her development was null, and her role in the movie was almost negligible.
- Narcissa was TERRIBLE....ugly, weird moments. Totally not how I pictured here.
- This is really just nitpicking, esp since I've already made my peace with it but...FENRIR GREYBACK IS NOT A WIZARD. At least, not in the sense that he is a fully involved Death Eater.
- Neville looked weird!
- Not enough of the actually potions book in the story, nor any explanation of what HBP meant
- Deathly Hallows lead-in inconsistencies:  The irrelevance of where Ginny hid the potions book. No Greyback biting Bill. No intro of Rufus Scrimgeour. No mention of remaining horcruxes.


The Good:
- Snape. Once again, stole the movie. This is also particularly curious, with the newly learned knowledge that Rickman has not read the books.
- Luna. luna, luna, luna.
- funny funny funny. how they managed to pull off the jokes and playful  tone in the middle of this depressing movie, I don't know. kudos
- Sooooooooo many little bits left in for readers of the book, that I thought were going to be dropped for sure (DD's withered hand, Tonks and Lupin, Ollivander being kidnapped)
- The acting from EVERYONE was fantastic...Harry, Ron...Hermoine in particular.
- I was going to be happy about not seeing any more Quidditch...but it worked out well. Ron catching everything after he thought he had taken Felix Felicis was priceless.
- Slughorn's character was done pretty well. A good mix of the book and making him a different kind of silly.
- Fred and George's shop was great!
- Lavender Brown played her role perfectly....bubbling, obsessive, annoying.
- the design of the potions book was brilliant
- the fight scene between Draco and Harry was shot beautifully, in particular that last overhead shot with Snape cleaning his wounds
- the young voldemorts, particularly the boy one, were GREAT.
- the design of the gas-memories turning into visual memories (ink to solid) was beautiful!
- hermoine's birds!

 The rest:
- I'm not sure whether I liked it or not, but it was definitely interesting: the subtle hints to Dumbledore being gay.
- I am torn on the ending, so it will go in this heading. Part of it was semi butchered...taking the fight scene out of it was a TERRIBLE idea. I also didn't enjoy how they didn't have Harry put on his invisibility cloak and get Petrificus Totalus'd; that's what made the death immediately real to me, when the spell broke. On the other hand, that 3 second shot of Dumbledore falling backward had me almost bawling. The chase scene was also a bit lack luster, the trailer made it seem more exciting.
- that part with katie flying into the air, was one of the most creepiest moments in any movie, ever!
- does not beat out POA as my favorite film, but it might be tied with OOTP for second. more viewings will tell!
- the score was interesting...there were no immediately memorable parts but I remember more than once thinking "what an interesting song choice for this part."

I could go on for days...but I think I'll save any further comments for when I see the movie again. Remember these are just my INITIAL reactions! Let me know what you think =]

by the shed, originally uploaded by ohhector.

LOST SEASON 5 FINALE.


I think this is probably the most I have ever hated this show. With that in mind though, this is also the most I have ever loved the show. As I told Carlos last night, I now know how it feels like to be one of those wifes that get beat by their husbands by stay with them and can't leave (pardon the inappropriate comparison, I was THAT upset last night when I said it lol).

Major spoilers ahead, obviously...

-So the man we thought was Jacob since seeing him Season 3 was never him, but an imposter.

-Ilana seemed to know that he had been in the cabin, and not jacob

-who created the disruption in the salt moat around the cabin?

- JACOB LIVING IN THE FOOT???? BRILLIANT!!!

- white shirt jacob vs black shirt man#2? good vs evil?

- i found it really interesting how jacob never made it a point to do anything with the survivors in his interactions off island with them, except for just have that contact in their life. well, he brought locke back to life...but he never forced them or pushed them into anything. even when he semi manipulate hurley....it seemed that he genuinely meant that he had a choice.

- same with what he told Ben...and i have a feeling there's more to how he acted towards Ben in the foothouse. his 'what ABOUT you" comment to ben almost seemed like more of a test...as if ben WAS supposed to be a special leader if only he could pass all the tests including the patience...and which now he failed miserably.



-so locke is really dead and not brought back to life...there goes my theory that christian isn't dead via 'if the island brought locke back to life, it brought christian too. so, was man#2 responsible for the christian and clare apparitions? is clare dead then?

- I almost lost it when juliet fell down the hatch. just mentioning it now gets me teary eyed....i know she didnt JUST die cuz of that, but at that moment...that jumped up to right behind Alex in my "most fucked up, heart wrenching tv deaths ever" list

-on that topic, sawyers reaction to juliet "dying" jumped to number two on my list behind sun in the helicopter in my 'most fucked up and heart wrenching love/death reactions on tv ever." he REALLY fucking loved her...and not only was he upset by her death, but he was torn apart by the fact that she gave up...she let go.

-where the hell was "young tom?" he was in the guest star list...but nowhere in the show i can see

-the young juliet/rachel thing was a bit...eh...i think it might have been a last minute attempt to make the drastic change in her attitude in a more cohesive manner

-CHARLIES RING! I've been waiting for the resolution to that for so long lol

-fade to WHITE??? Destiny found??? what do these things mean...also, that didn't seem like jack's eye opening at the end...juliet maybe?

-when jacob said 'they are coming' at the end, was he refering to the 77'ers? Did he feel the "incident" happening at that moment and realize what was happening? i doubt he was talking about ilana, since it seems he was the only that told her to come to the island...possibly knowing she'd come across john's body and hoping he'd come in time

-locke aka man#2 seemed surprised at smokeys interaction with ben....hmm.

-it seems that we might have a case of angels and demons on our hands...because i just thought abuot the salt barricade around man#2's jail, and what does salt keep away? demons

- was jacob trying to bring all of these survivors for the island because he thought they were worthy? or was it merely an attempt to lean fate towards interceding on his behalf so he wouldn't die?

-if you didnt catch the clip show before the episode, they said that the reason the survivors flashed back to the 70s was because they failed to accurately recreate the settings of the original crash....interesting


ugh....to much to think about....and many many more thoughts...but I think ill stop for now. let me know what you all think!

STUFF FOR SALE CHEAP!

Hello folks...I have some gear I am trying to sell. Just wanted to see if any of you were interested, before I try attacking the masses!

Few rules:
a) Items are PRICED TO GO....this means non-negotiable. If I wanted to waste my time doing that I'd be selling them for more and leaving some leeway to give "discounts." While that might be the "smarter" way due to how people work, I think that is absolute bullshit. I'm all about deals, not about haggling.
b) Cash only, all upfront. No payment plans, no loans, no credit cards (although I think I can accept payment like that through Paypal, I've never done it. if it doesn't cost me anything, i might be able to do that), NO CHECKS. Mixing money matters with friends, is a BIG no no!
c) Local only. I don't mind driving within the immediate area but, anything more than a few miles you'll have to come get it. I'm in Hialeah.Here goes:


1) Digitech RP 350
$80

What is it: Multieffect Processor
Price if new: $199.99.
Notes: Do not have the box, and the manual got a bit wet....but aside from that it is virtually new. It's sat under my desk, waiting for me to use it...which I never did. Why? Not because it sounds bad, it's probably one of the best sounding (and easiest to use) multi effects out at the moment but...I'll never be able to be the "effect guy" that I'd like to be.
Web: http://www.digitech.com/products/Multi-Effects/RP350.php




2) Boss RC-20 XL Loop Station
$120

What is it: LOOPER guitar effect pedal
Price if new: $250
Notes: No box...might have the manual. Barely used, Pretty much new. Does what it does well but I never used it as I thought I would.
Web: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=477&ParentId=96




3) Ibanez SR900 ANF
$450

What is it: Bass guitar
Price if new: $800
Notes: Small dent on the front, very minor wear marks around. I REALLY hate to give this up...it is probably the nicest playing bass I've had in my life....my new musicman does not play like it, and the new fender I will be getting does not play with it. But I CANNOT have 3 basses! The big issue with this is the sound....sounds GREAT but...does not give me the P-bass sound that I need for my style. I could try to fudge around with new pickups but since they are a weird shape my options are limited. If you want a REALLY fast playing bass, with low action that has a beautiful matte finish, a thin as hell body with an arched back, and a neck through with active bartolini pickups....this is your thing.

Web: http://www.birdlandmusic.net/product.php?productid=2733&src=froogle




4) ESP/LTD PB 500
$350

What is it: Electric guitar
Price if new: $649 (although this particular model is now discontinued...the new ones look like ass)
Notes: BEAUTIFUL brown matte finish. This guitar is actually quite great, but since I will be getting my PRS soon I have no need for it. I will never be the "plays multiple guitars" guy. I'll have my PRS and my strat and that should do me well. Condition is NEW. I will also throw in a set of locking tuners to sweeten the deal, that's an extra $80 bucks right there. There's a push/pull coil tap on the tone knob, which basically turns the humbuckers into single coils.
Web: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/ESP-LTD-PB500?sku=512893&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=56962688




5) Line 6 Spider Valve 212
$450

What is it: 40W TUBE guitar amp, 2 X 12 speakers.
Price if new: $830
Notes: BRAND FUCKING NEW. I know many of you hate Line 6. I will admit, I used to. They were TERRIBLE fucking amps, with terrible looks and sounds. But when they came out with Spider 3 line a few years back, they totally stepped up their game with a MUCH improved sound. The drawback? They still, in a live situation, totally crapped out tonally once past 2 or 3 on the volume knob. Theeeeeeeeeen....came the spider VALVE line. They basically partnered with Bogner (company known for making really good sounding EXPENSIVE as fuck amps) and made their first tube amp. It's not a tube hybrid amp, this is a FULL tube amp. It sounds SURPRISINGLY fantastic at loud volumes. You get 12 amp models and 400 presets. If you need a cheap tube amp for live shows, or just need a good cheap amp...jump on this deal. These are over $800 new, and this one is new as fuck. lol
Web: http://www.line6.com/spidervalve/index.html?utm_source=Index&utm_medium=DropDown&utm_campaign=Spider+Valve

I think that is it for now! Please let me know if you are interested in any of this...or know someone that is! Serious offers only, please =]

Yesterday was one of the most incredible days of my life.

After not being able to go to sleep til about 3, and then waking up at 9 and not being able to sleep more, I lounged around a bit. Then, I met up with Bianca,  who gave me one of the nicest and most excited hugs I've had in a long time. We went to Panera, and lunched. It was lovely to see her again...especially amidst what I though were friendship-ending conditions, and have all be well.

I came back home, and left to go pick up Lorena from her bf's house in the beach. Drove her home so she could change, and went on our way. Passed by that new open air mall in Pembroke Pines to see if the Barnes and Noble was open...it wasn't. Then we went to the Goodwill on 595. THEN we made our way to this thrift store in the ghetto of David...it sucked.

At this point we were hungry so we made out way to Ft laud. We passed by Revolution, and then had dinner at Mango's. Then we parked, bought our tickets, and walked around a bit. I was going to show her the outside of the museum of discovery and science, but apparently "BEERFEST" was going on...so that was a no go.

Came back, waited, got into the club, and got some GREAT spots on the side near the front. That is, until the security came and pushed us back to the stairs. What really sucked was, later on we found out it was for some party for some 16 year olds....90% of which paid no attention to the show (one kid, in fact, had some dj headphones on and was listening to his ipod...I almost ripped that shit off his fucking head haha). The good thing about them not watching the show though, was that they stopped blocking my way...and in the end me and Lorena we able to get back onto the railing a bit.

The first band Caliphone, was ok. And adequate opening band...they didn't "suck" per say....but they were a bit boring. The highlight was the "misc objects guy." Some might have called him the "percussionist" but that, by no means, adequately described his role in the band. He had a table FULL of weird objects and knickknacks that he played...and every little piece, no matter how trivial and insignificant, he played with the determination and focus as if it were the lead guitar solo at a rock concert. It was perfect.

Then Sam came out with his sister (I believe it was his sister...if not, she looks identical to her). From that first note he sung, I was in a trance...his voice....my god. I'm not even going to TRY to describe it, it would be a pointless endeavor....but let's just say I was in vocal heaven.

After a few songs, he brought out the band...including the "misc objects guy" from the other band! It was an intense performance, to say the least. Automatically falls into my "top 5 shows ever" listing, without even thinking about it. His voice....her voice...the drums and percussion...the mallets...the upright bass...the rhodes piano...EVERYTHING was pefect.

The instrumentation and recomposition of the songs was spectacular...all of the faster songs from the new cd, were done super slow, and super reggae like. They would even go off and 'jam' a bit, at the end of some of the songs.

I was smiling the entire performance.

I also managed to take (I hope, I haven't looked at them yet!) a few good shots. AND....when he left the stage, I have NEVER heard so much applause (in a venue of that type/size) for an artist...it was so loud, enthusiastic, and genuine...not to mention, nonstop for almost 5 minutes. Then Sam came out solo and did "Naked As We Came." I know it's the cliche "hit" of Iron and Wine to like, but I don't care....it's such a perfect song, soaring above any old Paul Simon classic, and it's my favorite. He messed up twice, which was funny...but it was a perfect ending to a perfect show.

I've been getting a lot of real music and real musicanship lately, seeing Rachel and George play so much...but this was just the ultimate topper to that. Great songs and great players are one thing...but to be able to pull off what happened tonight, takes a whole 'nother level of musicianship and amazingness that I rarely see down here.

Perfect fucking day, full of perfect fucking people, and perfect fucking music.

Trying to live with anxiety, has got to be one of the hardest things someone has to face. ESPECIALLY, since if you have never had anxiety (or even just had a different type of anxeity), it's hard to properly understand how it affects you. So on top of dealing with it, I have to deal with the fact that most other people don't understand it, and blame a lot of it's side effects on being selfish, whiney, weak, or many other stupid things that really have nothing to do with anything.

I've always tried not to mention my anxiety, as much as I could avoid it, because I have really tried to live my life as normally as possible without letting it affect me. And, over the years, I've grown to understand it a lot more and been able to stop myself from entering bad moments of it. Unfortunately, I am at a pretty low point with it right now, and it's starting to REALLY wear on me.

A simple answer to many people would be: just go on medication. Well, for one, I believe that in the end, there HAS to be some level of control that I can exert over this. And yes, many times I can feel it, so I do not think that it is impossible. For two, frankly I don't really care to have to be on drugs constantly, to feel better, if there is a chance of doing it WITHOUT the drugs. Not to mention the fact that I know many people that were on drugs for it, and the drugs either a) did not help at all, b) got them addicted, or c) made the anxiety worse.

(I don't know...I'm not really sure what the point of me writing this is. I'm not asking for sympathy. I don't really think I'm going to waste my time trying to convince those of you that don't care to properly understand, why this is such a horrible thing. But I must say, it certainly makes even the simplest things, insanely complicated. )

I remember when I was waaaaaaaay younger...I would go to open a door, for instance (to a store). If I saw that there was someone behind me, I wouldn't hold the door open, I'd actually run through it and pretend like I didn't see them. It was an uncontrollable urge, I just could not face them. It definitely wasn't because I didn't have manners. If anything it was EXTRA weird because I WAS a good natured kid for the most part, and it was almost contrary to who I was in mind (especially as I grew older) to act in that way. I couldn't help it, though.

Such a silly thing, you might think, but this was the start of what I eventually realized in my teens was social anxiety. As I started having friends and going out (which I did kinda late; I was an introverted kid and developed socially MUCH later than everyone else), it eventually came to me that I didn't particularly enjoy being with groups of people. When I started going to local shows and such, I noticed that I would bounce around from one group of friends to another, I could never stay with one set group of people. If I did, anxiety would start mounting.

One of the worst parts, is that I don't really have "anxiety attacks." I'm not too sure if when I was younger, I would purposely transfer the anxiety inwardly to avoid an attack, or if it would happen natural. Now, it definitely happens almost automatically. The problem with directing this negative energy inward, is that instead of having an attack, through which the anxiety channels itself through, I get physically sick/weak. This, in turn, lowers my resistance and willpower, and lets my bad temper manifest itself a lot easier.

The absolute worst of this, is trying to deal with it at work. While I have improved GREATLY, there are still many times I find anxiety creeping up. Sometimes it will happen right in the middle of dealing with a customer, sometimes it's when there is nothing happening. I try to walk around and find places to relax til it subsides but, there aren't really any places like that, minus the bathroom...and those stink...haha.

Outside of work, it's another mission. I can avoid a lot of the social anxiety situations by not interacting with others, but there's two faults associated with that. The first, is that, as much as I might enjoy the hermit life at times, I get rather lonesome, and that exacerbates the original issue. The second, is that there are MANY times that I am home, and get anxious even without anyone here. That's the other aspect of social anxiety: not the actual physical interactions with others, but the mental and emotional ramifications of the actions of others (in the past, future, currently).

So, since completely avoiding mankind was out of the options, over the years I managed to avoid the anxiety with friends (especially new ones), by doing small hangouts, usually just me with one other person (this, unfortunately, often gets misconstrued by females as an attempt to "mack it" or get in their pants. lol). Sometimes even that wasn't ok, and if I didn't feel in advance that I would be comfortable, I couldn't get myself to hang out with them. But sometimes I would be fine with one person. Sometimes two. Hell, there are even some groups of friends that I rarely had an issue hanging out with together.

Like I said, it goes through phases, of which I am not stuck right smack dab in the middle of one of the worst.

All in all...it sucks. Everything I've written here doesn't even BEGIN to explain how I feel...but as my writing skills have seemed to deteriorate over the years, it'll do for now. I'm not really looking for comments with this...if you have something to say, go for it...but please refrain from "that sucks" and "I'm so sorry;" unfortunately not only does that not help at all, but I already know it! =]

So I have now watched OOTP twice...once in a regular theater, and once at the IMAX. Here are my thoughts.



SPOILER ALERTS FOR HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX!


My first reaction to OOTP was: a million times better than GOF. There were very few moments I felt let down or slow paced. The acting was better, the set design was better, the music was better...EVERYTHING was better. Sure, there were parts cut out that I would have liked to see, but they kept a lot of things I thought they would have cut out. Also, the "compromise" scenes, basically anything written different from the book, were actually well done and didn't feel anywhere near as ackward as some of the things in GOF.

Of course, some things felt a bit rushed. Some parts could have been left out, or swapped for other parts. But as is, the movie works. The plot flows, they cut some things into smaller scenes that worked well, and everything just felt right. There was really only once in the movie, about an hour in, where I started to feel that it might sink into boringness, but it recovered quickly.

I'll put it this way...GOF I saw only once in the theater, and then not again til the DVD came out. I've seen it at total of three times. I've already seen OOTP twice, and I'm more than likely going to see it again in the theaters. And not just in the theaters, but in the IMAX, which was amazing.



Good

1) Casting, was beyond perfect. Umbridge and Bellatrix, were both so evil, and natural at it, that I didn't stop to think about the actresses themselves. Tonx was pretty cool, although she didn't get enough screen time. And Luna! Wow. Kreacher, was also done very well...he looked super creepy, almost something out of a horror movie.

2) Luna, definitely deserves her own entry in this. She made this movie for me. In the books, she was a kinda cute/cool charachter, but not something I gave a lot of thought to. In the movie, she gave the series a level of emotional charachter development that had been missing. That moment at the end, where she grabs Harry's hand, was intensely genuine. All of her actions and speech, were intensely genuine. She was GREAT.

3) I wasn't as annoyed by Cho this time. That kiss with Harry, was pretty saucy...lol.

4) While I was about to cry, when they skipped ALL of the cool rooms in the Department of Mysteries right to that Prophecy room, the way they did the fight scene at the end, more than made up for it. They took a bit of artistic license, and instead of having a few wizards shooting their wands at each other like lasers, they made it look and feel so much more interesting. I also rather liked how quick and out of nowhere they made Sirius's death happen. It worked well emotionally, because it hit you harder. Very emotional.

5) The two major montages, "High Inquisitor" and "Dumbledore's Army" were done really well. They managed to compress storylines that arc throughout the entire book, into one time pieces that still manage to convey the general idea, without cheapening it. I particularly enjoyed the Patronus scene, it was one of the nicest bits of CGI in the movie.

6) Whereas in GOF there were a few scenes that were music-less, and it felt very ackward, they used the musical silence very well, in the fight scene between VM and DD. A scene they could have easily saturated with dramatic music, but they let the magic and the emotion take center state.

6) Speaking of the battle with DD and VM...WOW. Ball of water? What the fuck....haha. THIS is what I was talking about, when I said that Gambon would be GREAT in the later movies as DD, due to his intensity (although I still have issues with him, which are discussed below).

7) The set design was pretty nice, a bit more colorful than GOB, but still maintaining a bit of the darkness of POA. I'm happy they have kept that tall walking bridge at Hogwarts intact (whose bright idea was it to have Horwarts be on flat grounds in the first two movies???) . The Death Chamber was great, especially the archway, The prophecy room was pretty great too. And I never imagined the actually Ministry Of Magic being so grandoise...it worked well. I also liked the Black Family Tree.

8) Thestrals!

9) I rather liked how dark and mysterious the centaurs were. I never really liked Firenze's design in the first movie, he seemed too brutish and cartoonish.

10) Speaking of cartoonish, that actually worked out for Grawp. The flirting with Hermoine was cute.

11) Hem Hem...

12) I liked the foreshadowing references to the Ginny liking Harry thing. The first happens on the bridge when Hermoine says "cho couldn't keep her eyes off of you" and you see Ginny kinda get a subtle sad face. The second, which I noticed the second time, was when the DA were leaving the room before Cho and Harry kiss, and Harry kinda blows Ginny off, and they linger on her for a moment, of which she looks really sad.

13) Still lacking the uniqueness and creativity of John Williams, the score did manage to have a few intense and wonderful moments.


Bad

1) I'm still a bit undecided on this, but I'm not too sure on the first few minutes of the movie. On first viewing, I thought it was choppy and poorly done. On the second viewing, it kinda works a bit more. At least it sets up the cinematographical style pretty well early on.

2) Redoings of previous designs that were better: the dementors, and Sirius in the fire. Way better in their original incarnations.

3) What's up with their short haircuts? They looked WAY cooler with the out of control hair last movie. Besides, even if everyone else got haircuts...Harry is known for having magically uncontrollable hair.

4) What the hell was up with the whispering of Mrs. Black? I was so excited to see her yell. lol.

5) Dumbledore. He continues to be the weak point, of these movies. I will say, he was better in this one than the last. But if there is anyone whose demeanor and subtleties should NOT be changed at all, it's him...and that's what they are doing. They make him show way more emotion than he does in the book at moments, and it strips him of his mystique. The fight scene, worked well for him. The scene sitting down with Harry at the end, started off horribly but by the end of it his tempermant was more like what I would expect from DD. This is what is going to make or break the next movie.

6) Although I suppose there is no way around it, and it's more of a personal character complain, Snape was way underused in this movie...granted, it fits within what they cut. But he is probably one of, if not, THE best actor to grace that series...and he could compensate for DD's shitty acting.

7) In cutting out the hospital scenes, they had to remove the part of the gang finding out about Neville's parents. To be honest, I would have rather if they just cut it out, the quick references to it, weren't really cutting it for me.

8) Of the bits they DID cut out, I missed the Quibbler's interview with Harry the most. They could have included more of 12 Grimmauld Pl, as well.

9) Although I bitch about people who complain about this...4 hours, is better than 2.5. haha

10) They said "nargles" ONE too many times. It was only said twice in the book.



Imax

1) This is definitely the ONLY way to see this movie. Having all of that action in your face....yea.

2) I don't think I will ever be able to see that fight scene, in 2D, again. haha. The glass shattering, feeling like it's falling on top of you? I was expecting water to fall on us to trick us, it was so real....haha.




This is probably now my second favorite movie. POA will most likely remain my favorite til the end I think...esp since I expect the next movie to suck...lol. Yates did a good job with this one, maybe he can pull a better acting job out of DD. I guess we will have to see. I really hope they manage to get Cuarón back, at least for the last movie. Or a Cuarón/Del Toro combo...that would be insanely amazing.

1. You MUST accept the fact, that as soon as you press the shutter button on that camera, and your naked body gets imprinted in the memory card in your digital camera, that there is not only the potential for it to get spread all over the internet, but that there is a pretty damn good chance it will. It doesn't matter if "oh well i just showed it to someone i really trust, they'd never." You must assume that under the nature of the situation, everyone will end up seeing you in your birthday suit.

Now, this is in no way a justification of the breach of trust...just an acknowledgment of human nature. First, people grow apart, trust wanes. Second, relationships go sour. Third, that person that you "really trust" probably has at least one other person that THEY "really trust" and so on and so forth. Not to mention people that use other people's computers.

So when down the line, you learn that your neighbor's mom, or your librarian has seen your goodies, don't act as if it's the end of the world, and that you didn't see it coming.



2. If you are caught, having naked photos of yourself, don't deny it. ESPECIALLY if your face and body are in the photo, and it is CLEARLY you. Saying "oh no that's just someone that looks like me" is not a justifiable answer, it is retarded.



3. (This rule also applies to any self taken shot, naked or not) LEARN HOW TO USE THE TIMER/REMOTE ON YOUR CAMERA. The "against a mirror" thing is not only one of the most cliche things you can do, but your mirror is probably really dirty too.



4. Along with #3, consider investing in a a TRIPOD. No one wants to see blurry photos of your tits or cock, especially if you try to call it "artsy" or "abstract."



5. Along with avoiding blurriness, try your best to have some sort of good lighting. The "artsy" thing again, does not work. Your computer screen, is NOT enough lighting. Bathrooms are usually the best choice most people have, when weighing good lighting vs. privacy, but just make sure that you know how to use the white balance on your camera, so that your photo isn't yellow.



6. If you are fat, don't try that "overhead shot so i can hide my fatness" technique. You are who you are, do not misrepresent yourself. If you are trying to impress someone who wants you to be skinny, don't bother. There are just as many people out there that like overweight people, as do skinny people. BE YOURSELF.



7. For goodness' sake, if you are in the middle of a romping sex session with your buddy, and your only choice for recording the event is super-washed-out-white-flash photos, don't bother. I know, having a penis in the vagina severly limits your artistic options, but experiment. A little blurriness, especially if used well, is way more acceptable in sex shots, than in self taken ones



8. Cutting out face/blacking out face/etc: big no no. If you are taking the plunge and letting your body parts be shown, don't be afraid to let your face be shown as well. If you are that worried about other people seeing your naked, do not take the photo. Trust me, it's even MORE embarrasing to have people find naked photos of you with your face cut/blacked out, and then still have them figure out it's you. It WILL happen.



9. If someone gets ahold of naked pics of you and is posting them somewhere to embarrass you...well...one-up them, and post a naked photo of yourself. The resulting shock and confusion is hilarious to watch.



10. More of a comment/question than anything....but why are a good majority of girls more willing to show their vaginas, than their boobs? I mean, I can understand SOME people, as there are always exceptions to everything....but I've noticed a BIG amount of girls that show their who-haa, but not their ta-tas.




Feel free to leave any additional tips/comments you might have on this matter...I know I have more but that's all I can think of for now! =]

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That's a post I made, almost three years ago. I would like you all to assist me in this, again. Even if you did it last time (although I don't think there's more than one or two of you that did it last time that I still speak to).

It actually did help a bit. I knew most of what people were saying (both the good and the bad)m and found out some surprising things. I think that I have changed a LOT, in those 3 years....some for the better, some for the worst.

I do implore you, however, to pay special note to the "honesty" part. This doesn't seem to work right unless you all drop your pretenses of what is "right" to tell someone or not. I've never been of the belief that one should constantly lie to another, even if it's to spare their feelings. If you hate me, you hate me. If you dislike something, you dislike something. If you appreciate something, you appreciate it.

"It is, what it is."

These comments will be taken as such. Obviously, bad things can be changed. Good things, should stay in place.

This is also a good time, for any of you that don't like me, but pretend to, in order to avoid un-pleasantries, to come out. Or, for any of you who I might not have as good a relationship as you might want, to pursue that avenue.



Again, please email me the lists at hectorap@gmail.com. Thanks!

Ah Christmas...after all these weeks of retail hell at work, you are here. Some good things, some bad things.


First, I must say, that I was very dissapointed in the traffic at my store this season. I guess more people are buying online than ever...but still. I do think I made a good amount of money...more than last year...but I also busted my ass...and worked 6 days this week and last.


As for the celebrations...I left work early yesterday, came home, and took a nap. Around 6ish I left with my brother to go up to my mom's friend's house. We went last year...and it was as much of a pain in the ass as it was this year...haha. I'm happy that my mom has found love and sharing, in her extended family and friends...and she's all about socializing and meeting all these members and parties and etc....but I'm sorry...I cannot deal with it...haha. So I sat outside by the canal and played my DS. Food finally  came...it was ok. I don't really eat pork, so the main part was lost on me. The ham was ok...all in all, I ate well. Afterwards, I came home.


At that point, I wasn't feeling too well. Headache, stomache, and other aches, were seeping in. By the time I was hoping to go to bed, I was in so much pain, that I couldn't sleep. I tried everything I could...and ended up not sleeping til about 6 or 7. Then, I woke up at 9...haha. Pain was less, but then I felt groggy, and sick.



Now, this year, the christmas tradition, was to be a bit different. See normally, we get up, open presents. Wait til about lunch time. Since my dad moved out, at this point, we'd pass by his house. Then to my grandma's house. We'd open presents. Then have a big lunch. THEN, my aunt would always say something to the effect of "OH WHY DONT YOU GUYS LOOK IN THE BACKYARD IN CASE SANTA CLAUSE DROPPED SOMETHING OUT THERE BY MISTAKE." So the best present, was always hidden outside. Silly, I know, but that's just our tradition.

This year, however, my mom and grandma were going to go to Spain, and leave at 5. So, everything we did, we were going to have to squeeze into an earlier and faster time. Fine, I thought. But I found out last night, that my mom had arranged it so that we'd have a brunch here, and everyone would come here instead of us going out. Not a bad idea necc, but it was such a shock...esp to the fact that a lot of things are different with my life and my family now...that I was looking forward to something in particular, and now it was going to be completely different.


Well, thankfully, it actually turned out very well. Minus the fact that I was feeling like complete fucking shit, and felt like throwing up, and dizzy, and all that...it was a good day. Woke up, opened the mom/bro/grandma presents...chilled for a bit...then the rest of the family (dad, aunt, grandma/pa) came over. They all had brunch (i couldn't eat), then we got to opening presents. It was nice. After we were done, I ended up laying in bed cuz I still felt like shit...and in that process, everyone ended up leaving. I was a bit upset because I didn't get to say by to my mom...she was leaving for spain today as I said, and she didn't want to wake me...which is fine...but yea. Thankfully, I am feeling a lot better now.

Unfortunately, the bad feeling prevented me from seeing a few friends...Stef and Emery I had plans with...and others that I wanted to share it with...but oh well. I will have to share that with them at a later date.


As for presents...here's the list:

Mom:
DS game: Yoshi's Island
DS game: Mario Kart
DVD: Simpsons Season 8
DVD:  Simpsons Season 9
DVD: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
DVD: Walk The Line
DVD: Robin Hood (disney)
CD: "Love" beatles/cirque du soleil

Bro:
DVD: Secretary
Car Wash Kit
Nightmare Before Christmas wall clock

Dad:
Wii
Classic controller for Wii
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Cool little photo album display thing with photos he took
Popcorn maker (for me and my bro)
Digital photo frame

Aunt:
Canon Pixma900 photo printer
various photo papers

Grandma:
Check
BOOK: Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990–2005
BOOK: Electric guitars


I also got some money, and a rock and rock trivia dvd thingie from Benny.


Oh and you know how my aunt always did that 'stuff in the backyard' thing with the presents? What she did was, she had hidden money inside the toppers that were in me and my brother's presents....but didn't tell us til we had thrown everything away....haha.

1) Yamaha APX9
This was my first acoustic guitar ever. It's got a beautiful top/back and sides. It's a thinbody, with two pickups: a peizo under the bridge, and a condensor mic in the soundhole.

2) Fender Satin Strat
Mexican made. I replaced the tuners with the Brushed Aluminum locking tuners, and the nut with an LSR roller nut. Next, the pickups will be replaced with the Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups.

3) Ibanez SR900
Beautiful arched back, neck through body. Flame top.

4) Jackson Dinky Reverse
This was my second electric guitar (first was a Fender Squire that I quickly got rid of when I got this one). My poor baby...the neck has a tiny crack along the truss rod. One of the pickups died, so a friend replaced them with Gibson pickups...which I'm sure sound great on a Gibson...but not on this! I also wore down the matte finish, into an actual shine over the years. And don't even get me started on the floyd rose...basically, this one is out of commission. I do, however, still love the thin as hell neck, and the reverse headstock.

5) Fender Toronado ('04)
This is a discontinued model, the newer versions are horrible. I was attracted to this due to the high output and crunchy pickups...but I don't know. I ended up never really playing with it much. The bridge is a bit annoying. It's a great guitar....but not really for me, in the end. Oh, I did put in Gotoh vintage locking tuners, since it was going out of tune every time I did a string bend.

6) Ibanez Soundgear EDB600
This was my first bass. Treated me well, aside from the fact that I had no idea what a setup was, and the action on this was like 2 inches above the fretboard. The neck is pretty kinked so I don't know how much fixing it can take. Sounds great, but for more of a general rock sound. I think the body is Luthite or some other composite material. Heavy as hell.

7) Carlo Robelli Mini Strat
I got this free at work (long story). For what it is, it's not bad. It's a full size neck, with a mini body. It's heavy though. Pickups sound pretty decent. And yes, I know the strings are missing....haha.






In case you didn't notice...I love matte/satin finish guitars. I think I've developed a strong dislike for most glossy guitars. *shrug*

The black bass, has now gone to my brother, since I have a new one, and he's always stealing that one to play. The other three black ones will probably be disposed of, one way or another. The Toronado, I'd like to sell...especially since it's barely been played, is brand new, and IS discontinued...esp since the newer ones suck. hehe. The Jackson...I love, it's my first baby...but unless I can do some major surgery to it, I might have to let it go.