My little Belgian has won the Australian Open. It was a hard fought match with many controversial calls, but I always think that in the end the better player wins. Congratulations to Justine Henin-Hardenne for winning her third Grand Slam.
posted by Pi at 2:52 AM |

 
You know what would make me happy baby?

A shot or two of tequila. Tequila has got to be some of the best stuff on earth.
posted by Pi at 1:07 AM |

 
Every now and then there's a song that you probably shouldn't give a damn about, but there's just something about it that draws you in. Perhaps its the cheesy sentimental lyrics, or a guitar riff that sounds stolen from a nostalgic song, or the singers happen to be hot, or it's just played on the radio so much that you realize it's really not that bad of a song compared to the rest of the crap. The song which satisfies all of the above for me right now is "Happy Baby" by Shaye.

Download an MP3 sample of Happy Baby
Watch the Happy Baby video.
More about the band.
posted by Pi at 12:11 AM |

 
Happy New Year (if you happen to be Chinese)
posted by Pi at 11:42 PM |

 
Sam Raimi on Spider-Man 2:

"It's about the growth of a boy into a man. Really, a simple coming-of-age story. This boy just happens to be one bitten by a radioactive spider."

From here.
posted by Pi at 11:28 AM |

 
Seems like the good news stopped rolling in. The new U2 album will NOT be released in March as expected. But it's actually good news because if it comes out later, I might actually be done my thesis and I'll be able to see the opening night of the tour, wherever that may be.

I didn't make it to "The Corporation" on Monday due to repairs at the Bloor Cinema. I hope it re-opens soon. Until then, I only have one rep cinema within walking distance.

But to keep in line with the good news, my thesis is making definite progress. Instead of wandering about the forest aimlessly, I've stumbled upon a path that has taken me through some nice fields with chirping birds. I'm sure there's a snake with an apple nearby though. (It's a sna-a-ake!)

And finally, I'm going to see a preview screening of "Win A Date With Tad Hamilton" (did I just admit this?). I'm sure it'll be just like any other cutesy romantic comedy that Hollywood churns out at a staggering pace. It definitely won't be "Rushmore".
posted by Pi at 12:46 AM |

 
Sometimes I feel as if I can never be satisfied. No matter what I have, I always want more. Although this can act as a point of motivation, it can also act to demotivate. I feel as if the path is infinitely long and no matter how many steps I take, I'll still be infinitely far away so why bother to walk at all? I've come to realize that it's not the distance to the end, but rather the experiences gained while walking that path. That alone is enough to keep me walking.
posted by Pi at 12:51 AM |

 
What's with old cinemas in Toronto collapsing? First it was the Uptown and next it's the Bloor Cinema, my favourite movie watching location. I wonder if they have fixed things because I want to go next week to watch "The Corporation".
posted by Pi at 6:51 PM |

 
My apartment is strewn with plates with leftover foodbits, the floor is littered with beer cases and assorted crumbs and unidentified substances. I haven't see this many empty bottles of beer and alcohol in ages. These are all signs of a fun party the previous night.
posted by Pi at 1:10 PM |

 
These days seem to be a take on "28 Days Later" but instead of people being infected with a rage virus, we are being affected by the "it's f*cking cold out" virus. If we continue to have -20^oC weather with blistering winds bringing the temperature down to -40^oC with windchill, I think 28 days later, most of us will go crazy. I can feel it in me. I can feel it in other people. The cold is freezing our neurons, stopping all logical brain activity. Our leaders will tell us that we don't have enough energy for heating. The people will riot. Our power grid will be destroyed and then no one will have heating. The human population will slowly freeze to death. Millions of years later, excavators of the dominant species at the time will uncover nearly intact pieces of us. Some of us in front of our computers desperately our thesis, others who froze in bed, some in their cars. They will think of us a silly species who couldn't even control the weather.
posted by Pi at 12:13 AM |

 
Dude, scribble.nu is back up. This can only mean one thing: the return of daily drivel!!!!!

I'm excited about this. If it continues to work for one whole week, I'll resume my classic daily drivel posts that I'm sure you've all missed.

At any rate, even if you don't care I care and that's all that matters.

Like I said in the last post, the great news keeps on rolling in.
posted by Pi at 12:44 AM |

 
One hobby of mine that sort of went downhill in the past few months has been moviegoing at the local rep cinemas. I love the Bloor Cinema, it's my favourite cinema in Toronto. Also nearby is the Royal, part of the Festival Cinemas. I decided to change that last weekend.

I watched three different movies on three different days, the sum cost is about admission to a regular show at Paramount or Silver City. I can usually rely on these cinemas to choose decent films. I saw the following "The Human Stain" (Friday), "Kill Bill Volume 1" (Saturday), and "Elephant" (Sunday). I was disappointed in "The Human Stain", but I only went because I had a free night and already missed the showing of "Elephant" earlier in the evening. When I did catch "Elephant", I was mesmerized by Van Sant's work. I had expected it to be dull and boring. It was dull, but definitely not boring. It was dull in a very real way, and when the kids starting shooting with dull expressions, it sent a shiver down my spine. It was shocking how calm the kids appeared with guns in hand as they killed classmates and teachers. This was in great contrast to "Kill Bill Vol 1" where the killing was so utterly fake and cheesy, that it wasn't shocking at all. It confirms that Tarantino is indeed a genious. I can't wait for "Volume 2". As for "The Human Stain", it barely left a stain, it was more of a bad aftertaste.

And I am now a proud owner of both of Darren Aronofsky's feature length films "Pi" and "Requiem For A Dream". And having just checked IMDB, I've discovered that he's working a screen adaptaion of the graphic novel series "Lone Wolf and Cub" and is working on "Flicker". Not that I actually ever read "Lone Wolf and Cub" (I would have been too young to appreciate it back then), but I'm a sucker for screen adaptations of comic books. Don't know too much about "Flicker", but I'm sure it'll be great.

Wow, the great news never seems to stop coming.
posted by Pi at 9:43 PM |

 
A little more good news.

Rumour has it that a new U2 single is due out this month followed by an album in March and then a world tour! Since the last tour, I told myself that I would attend the opening night of the next tour, wherever it may be. Exciting.

More info.
posted by Pi at 5:49 PM |

 
Does it get any better? My favourite actress playing a role in a movie adaptation of a play by my favourite writer. In "A Good Woman," Scarlett Johansson plays Lady Windermere from Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan. Can't wait.
posted by Pi at 5:38 PM |

 
The word for today is URINAL.

- The classic "urinal game". Test your knowledge of the men's room.
- Amsterdam urinals. The Dutch are so strange.
posted by Pi at 4:59 PM |

 
So I was browsing the web for bands today and I came across the website for Franz Ferdinand. I downloaded the mp3 on their website and instantly fell in love with it. I have two points to make about this:

1) I can't really recall the last time I listened to the first five seconds of a song and loved it. It's reassuring to know that there is still good music out there. Before this, the closest to "love at first listen" were Metric, stellastarr* and Interpol. I just hope the rest of the songs by FF is of such high calibre as Darts Of Pleasure. (Added later: actually I just remembered that the last "love at first listen" band for me was Ladytron)

2) The RIAA and the big record companies are stupid. Because of one freely accessible mp3, I will go to their concert in February for their Toronto debut (you should too), buy their EP or album when it comes out, and tell tonnes of people about them. I don't see how this is bad for business.
posted by Pi at 1:55 AM |

 
I refuse to use this blog as an emotional outlet. Expect no more of this from me here.
posted by Pi at 12:58 AM |

 
There is frustration locked up in all of us. On most days people keep it in check and out of the way. Then on some day, it could be June 6, or perhaps September 24 or maybe January 8, the safe cracks and it's Pandora's box all over again.

This week was spectacular for me. It was probably one of my most productive weeks working on my thesis. I think the two weeks off from the frustration of getting nowhere cleared my mind and actually allowed me to think. When I came back to work, I was filled with fresh new ideas and motivation. Things were great, even up to a few hours ago.

Things can change quickly. I don't want to go into details, but at times some other person's emotion can overrun your own. My own emotions morphed before I realized what had happened. It was time to go. I immediately put on the following songs to cheer me up:

U2 - Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
New Order - Run
Ladytron - Evil

Don't worry, I'm feeling better now. The safe hasn't been cracked.
posted by Pi at 12:38 AM |

 
So my clock just turned midnight meaning that the holidays are officially over. It's Monday January 5, 2004, the first real work day of the year. So while you get your morning coffee, you can browse some pictures that were taken over the holidays. Sadly, I forgot to take my camera to any events.
posted by Pi at 12:00 AM |

 
I'm reminded by Bruce that it's a leap year. It gives me another day to work on my thesis.
posted by Pi at 11:41 AM |