Blogs are an interesting thing. Especially personal blogs like mine that don’t have any real “agenda” to it. I’m not hawking anything except for my own self-worth as a writer. I don’t often talk about whether or not I have a political agenda, my stance on things like …abortion (actually, my stance is: I’m not a woman, I shouldn’t decide). Often people stumble across my blog because they know me or my writing.

Most of my posts are personal ramblings and I wouldn’t change it in any way. I’m not writing/blogging for anyone else except for myself. It’s a glorified diary here on the internet. And you have access to it.

I don’t mind. I’ll admit I still have that secret need to become an E-List celebrity. I’m not aiming too high. E seems obtainable. But either way, people I’m sure will still look at my blog and wonder.

America’s Next Top Model: Dance with Me - TV Squad

Music Review – AfroSambaJazz: The Music of Baden Powell - BlogCritics.Org

If you could, leave comments on both sites. Comments mean love!

It’s not that I want to gush over everything, that wouldn’t make any sense either. But in all truths, I can’t fully bash an album. If an album is placed out the thing probably will get an automatic 2/10. There is only one instance that would garner something lower: Compilation albums. If it’s half assed, I will tell you either to buy the tracks individually or the original albums. Compilations don’t make sense if they don’t add anything. I don’t care if it’s music videos, remixes, a special booklet, or instrumentals/acapella tracks for remixers.

Either way, I think I found my ear. Yes!

Gaming on a Dime – Arcades can save a gamer money

I wrote this as my first article into the foray into Associated Content. I’ve had this idea about budget gaming and although I contemplated starting up a website (like budget gamer or something) I realized that there is one website out there that is so much better, so I refrained.

Now I know that there is a stereotype to writers. I’ve addressed that before. But shouldn’t there be a stereotype to actors? Like maybe….they are good looking? Yes I know that talent does come first and play a big part, but when you’re ugly, you’re only going to get typecast roles for “Ugly Best Friend” or “Generic Mall Cop.” You’re not going to be a leading lady. (Click Continue Reading to Continue Reading!)

I always wonder whatever happened to friends who finished in Theater. There’s a part of me that clearly commends them for doing something that they loved to do, but what happened in the real world when they found out that they were a big fish in New Paltz, but now they are a little fish who is a little too short or a little too fat for roles? Do they try to lose the weight? Do they cave under the pressure and get a masters in Liberal Arts to get a decent job? Do they resort to becoming prostitutes? Actually, they wouldn’t make good prostitutes because they are short and fat.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty sure that several theater kids are making more money than this humble (hah!) blogger. But what happened to the ugly ones or the ones with delusion thinking that they are *gasp* good looking? To make it worse, I know a few theater kids who are decent looking and can’t take a good picture for shit. Photoshop can only do so much, honey.

I firmly believe that if one keeps dreaming, things will happen. I guess the ugly ones will just have to dream harder.

It’s pretty, but not exactly everything I wished for, you know? Sometimes the image in my head doesn’t match the drawing on the picture.

Anywho, I realized that one thing that websites are supposed to do is increase the length of time one person is on it for a while. How is a personal website supposed to do that? I’m not going to offer games, contests, or giveaways. That’s not my style and I’ve heard from other webmasters that giveaways aren’t as helpful to increasing readership. It causes a spike then disappears again. Moot. That’s what it is.

Back to the question: how do I not jump the shark? I can’t do things like hype other people, mostly because I have no writer friends (*hint* let’s be friends! *hint*). I would have a link page if a) I would admit that most are Disney links and b) I give away where some of my writing inspiration comes from. Yes, I’ll add more photos, but the problem lies in the fact that I actually have to reduce the size of the photos and it’s a bitch I tell you.

I used to have a bookmark tab of other writers/journalists/mothers with computers that I really liked and mysteriously all of them disappeared. I will check my main computer (I’m situated in my backyard between two large citronella candles trying to keep every bug away from me) later on. Anywho, their pages were a combination of concise and yet I wandered their page for a good 15 minutes. Here? Not so much. I can go through it in five, but mostly because it’s actually very content thin.

I get it: I’ll work on this page. I guess it’s an ever evolving thing.

Personally, I’ve seen the images of writers, radio people, and podcasters and was taken aback. Maybe it’s true. Maybe a lot of these people are the bastard ugly children of successful television and film stars. Even the people on YouTube have good looks and usually only the good looking (or just insanely funny) YouTube videos become the most popular.

…

I’ve seen pictures of several writers on the back of their book (while wandering through Barnes & Noble, mind you) and thought: maybe the ugly ones write. I mean look at Stephen King: great writer, kinda ugly. Then again, one of my favorite writers, Augusten Burroughs, is good looking. Well, was… I’m not that into 40-somethings. I’ve wandered his website and saw pictures of him in the 90s with his drug sheik.

I’ve mused before about a year ago about being self conscious about my neck, but I don’t consider myself ugly. With my low self esteem, let me at least think that I’m good looking. I often think in defeatist mentality, but that doesn’t make me ugly either. Sometimes, I practice taking that stereotypical black and white author photo. I laugh thinking that a) I would end up writing a how to book or b) I wouldn’t write a book. Granted, I still need a new headshot-esque picture. I have to go call Eric and hire him as my photographer. Maybe I could pay him in Applebees and Hot Wings.

Does that mean I picked the wrong outlet? Granted maybe I’m looking at extremes. I mean look at Ryan Seacrest. If someone that weird looking can succeed, I guess anyone can.

Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon on the movie poster

I have mixed feelings about Angels & Demons. I feel as though all the pieces were there and yet there was something I can’t put my finger on that I didn’t like. I think that Ron Howard knows how to make a good movie with strong shots, while Tom Hanks both understands Ron Howard and is a good actor in general. Here are some musings about the movie:

I don’t like the whole end twist – It happened in the last movie and they put it in again. Regardless of whether or not it’s in the book, the end sequence is redundant and in both cases makes Robert Langdon just a little dumber.

The music was recycled – I understand as a sequel, the film wanted to reiterate the tone by using very similar music, but I don’t see why they couldn’t play with the score more. Even National Treasure 2 played with their score more.

The opening shot seemed unnecessary – When we first meet Robert Langdon, he’s apparently swimming in his University’s swimming pool. Although it quickly set up Robert’s strong eye, I felt like it was a shameless excuse to have Tom Hanks in a Speedo. I mean there are several ways of opening the movie, like maybe recapping the last movie in some form? I dunno, just a suggestion.

I liked the female character – Vittoria Vetra (played by Ayelet Zurer) felt more integral and useful to Angels & Demons than Sophie Neveu (played by Audrey Tautou) did in The Da Vinci Code.

Why did it feel like most of the budget seem off? – It was like they spent all their money on the beginning sequence and the big end blow out. The middle was just “eh” in comparison.

In the whole, the movie was all right. I think that it was easier to pick up than the first movie, possibly because we knew who Robert was already, but also because it didn’t get as deep into religion as the first one did. Ironic because this one involves popes.

Even funnier fact: I totally didn’t know that Angels & Demons the book was a prequel, but mysteriously the movie is a sequel to The Da Vinci Code.

My grade: 78%

I never had a real steady job. Yes, I get paid for my work writing articles for TV Squad. The unfortunate thing is that it’s not enough to even call it a part time job. The rest of my life is spent looking for other outlets for writing, reviewing music, and writing for other places on the internet (And blogging of course).

I was recently rejected by a website in the Match.com family (don’t worry I didn’t jump the shark and start writing about relationships; it was video game related) and I’m convinced that it’s because I have no credit. None.

(Click Continue Reading for the rest of the story)

The fear kicked in: the lack of a credit line is preventing me from getting a job. The companies put in my social security number in their little database thing and there is nothing there. I didn’t pay for my college, it was all the parents. I have no debt. My writing instrument (this laptop in my now converted office downstairs) was a Christmas present. There is no credit line at all in my name. I’ve lived in my house for more than 12 years. I focused on my studies rather than getting a credit card and a job.

Then one more idea popped into my head. Eric explained to me how he got his credit card (which he used to purchase a Mac) before any economic turmoil kicked in. Maybe credit card companies are scared to go out on a limb and help me out because of the economy. Sometimes I wish I could tell them that the little money I do make would go and pay for the credit card, just for the sheer fact that I’m trying to have credit.

Sometimes I wonder what is in my personal record. Maybe there are school records. Diplomas. That one time I accidentally overdrafted on my checking account. I do know one thing. There’s no credit. And because there’s no credit, I can’t get a job. And because I don’t have a solid job, I can’t get credit. Thanks infinite loops.

Because I like the man himself.

There’s something you can’t deny about Walt Disney, the person. He has passion, drive, and keen senses. Three qualities that I either want, or need to enhance. If anyone has gone through the One Man and his Dream exhibit in Hollywood Studios (which i normally dub The Studios), you would understand the turmoil that he had to go through (losing Oswald, war time, putting all his money in Snow White, etc.) and he still persevered.

I’m still amazed by what one man’s ideas accomplished. Without Walt Disney, we probably would have a very different view of animation, or even color. Disney was an experimenter; he didn’t want to follow the other movie producers.

I guess I just want to make an impact like Disney did. One day when I am old, I want people to think highly of me like they would of Walt Disney. I’m already convinced that I won’t make a huge impact, but if one person I know (or they read an article of mine) went, “He’s a good (insert noun here)” I would be happy.

Oh Family Guy, I love how nothing is sacred.

Oh and the Family Guy reference (“Are all the Jews gone yet?”) is hysterical.