Sorry for not posting for awhile. I've been doing some heavy research and video editing for an upcoming project.
On another note, my "Triple String Nunchaku" video tutorial on YouTube has surpassed 5,000 views. It also has been featured on AOL Video, Truveo, Freestyle Nunchaku Forum, and I've received several emails from nunchaku enthusiasts around the world.
To celebrate this achievement, it is customary on YouTube to "glut-o-nize" yourself on some kind of food. I've seen people eat big buckets of chicken wings, an extra large pizza, tubs of this-n-that.
I'm going to binge on Tim Tams from Australia. But, I'm going to "slam" each Tim Tam. "How do you slam a Tim Tam?" you ask. Easy. Bite the ends off, get a cup of your favorite hot beverage, and sip said beverage with the Tim Tam as if t were a straw. When it's filled, it'll start to melt. So, you have to quickly pop it into your mouth where it will EXPLODE with orgasmic deliciousness.
I now present to you, my Tim Tam Slam-a-thon (with musical accompaniment by the B-52's performing "Rocklobster."
Monday, June 2, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Okinawan Pork Products
I bought one of these four years ago:
...and I ate tebishi two years ago!
But Aviva wins the pot pie contest with THIS ONE.
...and I ate tebishi two years ago!
But Aviva wins the pot pie contest with THIS ONE.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wiggle Your Big Toe...
I'm not going to try and gloss this over with humor and whimsy. This is one of those mid-life crises we all dread:
What am I going to do with the second half of my life?
Job satisfaction diminishes exponentially. Where are all the women I'm supposed to be compatible with? And 29 years of martial arts training (and all the injuries that comes with it) doesn't exactly have me jumping out of bed in the morning all sprite and ginger.
I chose a lifestyle (or did it chose me?), to follow a humble path of the minstrel-warrior, and have found that I live paycheck to paycheck; I'm up to my neck in debt; My creative juices have become bitter-sweet because the American work ethic demands I work myself dead-tired before I attempt anything I really enjoy; If I ever have children, I'll be too old to play ball with them; And, I'll consider my self lucky if there's anyone present at my funeral (which should take place approximately another 40-50 years from now).
My birthday is a couple of weeks away. I'm like a Klingon from Star Trek, when it comes to birthdays. I don't like parties, or cakes, or gifts. I like quiet meditation (or if I were a Klingon, I'd gloat and wonder why I didn't die a glorious death in combat), and watch some DVD's or catch up on some books I've been meaning to read. Many years ago, my good buddy and his wife took me out to dinner a few days before my actual birthday. They're sneaky like that. At the time, I was in my survivalist-mountainman yamabushi phase. So, they bought me a watch with all the gismo MacGuyver features on it. I put it to good use until it finally ticked its last tock. Sentimentalist I am, I still have it. And that's as far as I'll allow my birthdays to go.
California (SF Bay Area) is becoming increasingly more difficult for single people to stay. I check Craigslist almost everyday for used audio, video, and photographic gear. Artists and engineers are leaving California everyday, dumping their old gear before they go. I've picked up some really good bargains, in the hopes of building a side business in order to raise enough funds to move out of state as well with some savings as a buffer. California is too expensive, overcrowded, drought-prone, under-educated, air polluted, too many bond-measured, and lately - over rated.
As a trained audio recording engineer, people here in the Bay Area have said "Go work for Lucas." Yeah right. There's a group of former Skywalker Sound people that started their own recording studio because of the constant state of fear under Lucas. These guys named their studio: Banned From the Ranch. I tried getting in with these guys and found shut doors there too. [Curiosly, I work with a guy who is cousins with a BFTR guy. He mentioned me to his cousin and forwarded my complaint that "Banned" is just as closed door and arrogant as "Skywalker." His cousin's answer was: Yeah. That's about right.]
Sheesh!
Thank goodness for Blogger and YouTube. Great places to vent and be creative. Thank goodness for friends and family. AND...Thank goodness my one and only student chose me to be his teacher.
Like the character Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill Vol. 1 said after coming out of a coma and struggling to get back on her feet, "Wiggle your big toe." All I have to do is get past the hard part...Everything else gets easier.
We hope!
What am I going to do with the second half of my life?
Job satisfaction diminishes exponentially. Where are all the women I'm supposed to be compatible with? And 29 years of martial arts training (and all the injuries that comes with it) doesn't exactly have me jumping out of bed in the morning all sprite and ginger.
I chose a lifestyle (or did it chose me?), to follow a humble path of the minstrel-warrior, and have found that I live paycheck to paycheck; I'm up to my neck in debt; My creative juices have become bitter-sweet because the American work ethic demands I work myself dead-tired before I attempt anything I really enjoy; If I ever have children, I'll be too old to play ball with them; And, I'll consider my self lucky if there's anyone present at my funeral (which should take place approximately another 40-50 years from now).
My birthday is a couple of weeks away. I'm like a Klingon from Star Trek, when it comes to birthdays. I don't like parties, or cakes, or gifts. I like quiet meditation (or if I were a Klingon, I'd gloat and wonder why I didn't die a glorious death in combat), and watch some DVD's or catch up on some books I've been meaning to read. Many years ago, my good buddy and his wife took me out to dinner a few days before my actual birthday. They're sneaky like that. At the time, I was in my survivalist-mountainman yamabushi phase. So, they bought me a watch with all the gismo MacGuyver features on it. I put it to good use until it finally ticked its last tock. Sentimentalist I am, I still have it. And that's as far as I'll allow my birthdays to go.
California (SF Bay Area) is becoming increasingly more difficult for single people to stay. I check Craigslist almost everyday for used audio, video, and photographic gear. Artists and engineers are leaving California everyday, dumping their old gear before they go. I've picked up some really good bargains, in the hopes of building a side business in order to raise enough funds to move out of state as well with some savings as a buffer. California is too expensive, overcrowded, drought-prone, under-educated, air polluted, too many bond-measured, and lately - over rated.
As a trained audio recording engineer, people here in the Bay Area have said "Go work for Lucas." Yeah right. There's a group of former Skywalker Sound people that started their own recording studio because of the constant state of fear under Lucas. These guys named their studio: Banned From the Ranch. I tried getting in with these guys and found shut doors there too. [Curiosly, I work with a guy who is cousins with a BFTR guy. He mentioned me to his cousin and forwarded my complaint that "Banned" is just as closed door and arrogant as "Skywalker." His cousin's answer was: Yeah. That's about right.]
Sheesh!
Thank goodness for Blogger and YouTube. Great places to vent and be creative. Thank goodness for friends and family. AND...Thank goodness my one and only student chose me to be his teacher.
Like the character Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill Vol. 1 said after coming out of a coma and struggling to get back on her feet, "Wiggle your big toe." All I have to do is get past the hard part...Everything else gets easier.
We hope!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I've Been Tagged, Dagnabbit!
A vortex from outerspace must have formed above my head because I'm being suckered into proliferating this cosmic trend.
Six Quirks About Myself
Well, Aviva Bowman tagged me. She and her family are stationed in Okinawa (Her hubby is a Marine; daughter attends school and is Aviva’s favorite photography subject.) I discovered her blog while creating my own.
Now, I have to reveal six quirks about my character.
1. I’m Filipino, but I prefer colder climes.
2. When it comes to books, I have a “read within 5 years pile” and “read within 20 years pile.”
3. My preference is analog over digital.
4. I wish I could sing tenor.
5. I don’t like leftovers, but I’ll eat from dented cans.
6. Deep down, I’m just a “sci-fi kinda guy.”
Here are the tagging rules:
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules in your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they've been tagged.
I’d like to add: No tag backs, please.
Here's the list of people I've tagged. (Half of whom don't know me for which I apologize, but maybe something positive will arise - if you like my blog. I certainly liked yours, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen each of yours.) Back track the tag histories. I've found many interesting and talented people, which is what I suppose this whole game is about: Networking.
Kevin
Perpetual Beginner
Katie
Mostly Torn
Pam
Retarded Mango
Six Quirks About Myself
Well, Aviva Bowman tagged me. She and her family are stationed in Okinawa (Her hubby is a Marine; daughter attends school and is Aviva’s favorite photography subject.) I discovered her blog while creating my own.
Now, I have to reveal six quirks about my character.
1. I’m Filipino, but I prefer colder climes.
2. When it comes to books, I have a “read within 5 years pile” and “read within 20 years pile.”
3. My preference is analog over digital.
4. I wish I could sing tenor.
5. I don’t like leftovers, but I’ll eat from dented cans.
6. Deep down, I’m just a “sci-fi kinda guy.”
Here are the tagging rules:
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules in your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they've been tagged.
I’d like to add: No tag backs, please.
Here's the list of people I've tagged. (Half of whom don't know me for which I apologize, but maybe something positive will arise - if you like my blog. I certainly liked yours, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen each of yours.) Back track the tag histories. I've found many interesting and talented people, which is what I suppose this whole game is about: Networking.
Kevin
Perpetual Beginner
Katie
Mostly Torn
Pam
Retarded Mango
Monday, April 28, 2008
Aviva's Future Gear
Aviva is a fellow Blogger and fantastic photographer. She's tagged me. She's challenged my limited Japanese language skills. So, I thought I'd poke fun at her where it hurts the most...
Aviva...If you brought this home, would Craig think you found the keys to the ordinance locker? "Hey Sarge! Where's the rocket launcher?"
OR---
On your next day trip, just throw this simple 160 megapixel 6x17 Seitz in your ruck. How the heck do you pull focus on this thing? And, does Lowepro make a bag to carry it?
OR---[and here's my favorite]
When you're back Stateside, get yourself a surplus stepvan and build yourself a portable (and drivable) gigantic pinhole camera. Let Mia design the paint job.
Actually, Aviva is a great sport. She and her family are based in Okinawa (Hubby is a Marine). Her blog and photos can be found here.
Aviva...If you brought this home, would Craig think you found the keys to the ordinance locker? "Hey Sarge! Where's the rocket launcher?"
OR---
On your next day trip, just throw this simple 160 megapixel 6x17 Seitz in your ruck. How the heck do you pull focus on this thing? And, does Lowepro make a bag to carry it?
OR---[and here's my favorite]
When you're back Stateside, get yourself a surplus stepvan and build yourself a portable (and drivable) gigantic pinhole camera. Let Mia design the paint job.
Actually, Aviva is a great sport. She and her family are based in Okinawa (Hubby is a Marine). Her blog and photos can be found here.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Martial Arts Photos of the SF Sakura Matsuri 2008
I got my act together and opened a Flickr account. I'll still use Photobucket to maintain older posts, but I really like Flickr's variety and my future albums will be hosted there.
Slide Show
Some video:
Slide Show
Some video:
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Kiki's Delivery Service
I'm a big Japanese animation fan. From early Tatsunoko Productions (Speed Racer, Space Cruiser Yamato, and Macross) to Studio Ghibli...
which brings me to:
I have many Studio Ghibli DVD's, but Kiki's Delivery Service (aka: Majo no Takkyubin which translates as "Witch's Delivery Service.") just happens to be my favorite. We're all supposed to go through rites of passage or go on separate journeys to go find our true selves. This film captures that spirit of discovery.
I have both the English and Japanese versions, and both are nice to compare. The essence of Miyazaki's vision carries on in the English. When I want to sit back and enjoy the story, I'll watch it in English. If it's time for me to brush up on my Nihongo, I'll throw on the original version and switch on the subtitles.
This is a nice cozy family film. Get the DVD, make hot coco and snuggle with your little one(s) and/or sweetheart.
Not sure how long these links will last, but for your convenience preview the English version here:
part 01
part 02
part 03
part 04
part 05
part 06
part 07
part 08
part 09
part 10
which brings me to:
I have many Studio Ghibli DVD's, but Kiki's Delivery Service (aka: Majo no Takkyubin which translates as "Witch's Delivery Service.") just happens to be my favorite. We're all supposed to go through rites of passage or go on separate journeys to go find our true selves. This film captures that spirit of discovery.
I have both the English and Japanese versions, and both are nice to compare. The essence of Miyazaki's vision carries on in the English. When I want to sit back and enjoy the story, I'll watch it in English. If it's time for me to brush up on my Nihongo, I'll throw on the original version and switch on the subtitles.
This is a nice cozy family film. Get the DVD, make hot coco and snuggle with your little one(s) and/or sweetheart.
Not sure how long these links will last, but for your convenience preview the English version here:
part 01
part 02
part 03
part 04
part 05
part 06
part 07
part 08
part 09
part 10
Sunday, April 13, 2008
2008 San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival
I've attended the SF Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) on and off for the past 20 years. Photography, videography, and audio field recording has always been in my blood. This year, I'm documenting everything I find interesting. The celebration takes place over the course of two consecutive weekends, and I plan to test some of my "new" production gear.
What you see here is a montage of screen grabs of some of the video I shot with my retro Sony DCR-TRV27 w/wide angle lens adapter and Beachtek DXA-2 XLR audio adapter set to mono fed by a Shure SM58 (this is my audio test platform which will eventually be either a Canon GL1 or XH-A1 OR Sony VX2100 or FX-7, and some stills with my P&S Fujifilm Finepix S5000. I'm debating on getting a DSLR or go totally retro and do medium format Mamiya...but that means a darkroom.
I've never seen so many people shooting with Canon 1D's before! I think more than half of them didn't use them to a fifth of its potential. They just dropped their credit cards on the counter and bought the best money could buy in the belief they could snap that perfect shot of their kids on stage. But they were never bold enough, like me and the real pro's, to get right up to the stage apron, to ignore yellow security tape and GET THE SHOT NO ONE ELSE DARES. So many people shot full panorama all day long. Photoshop can't fix that!
One shot I'm particulary proud of is one where I set the camera's timer and used my two meter monopod to suspend my camera over a group of taiko drummers. I even had one of my feet on the stage. The pro's couldn't do this because their foot long telephoto were too heavy. My P&S was just the ticket!
I'll have video and more pictures up next week after the conclusion of festivities. I have this weekend's video in rough cut form. Slide show is next. This was just a tease.
What you see here is a montage of screen grabs of some of the video I shot with my retro Sony DCR-TRV27 w/wide angle lens adapter and Beachtek DXA-2 XLR audio adapter set to mono fed by a Shure SM58 (this is my audio test platform which will eventually be either a Canon GL1 or XH-A1 OR Sony VX2100 or FX-7, and some stills with my P&S Fujifilm Finepix S5000. I'm debating on getting a DSLR or go totally retro and do medium format Mamiya...but that means a darkroom.
I've never seen so many people shooting with Canon 1D's before! I think more than half of them didn't use them to a fifth of its potential. They just dropped their credit cards on the counter and bought the best money could buy in the belief they could snap that perfect shot of their kids on stage. But they were never bold enough, like me and the real pro's, to get right up to the stage apron, to ignore yellow security tape and GET THE SHOT NO ONE ELSE DARES. So many people shot full panorama all day long. Photoshop can't fix that!
One shot I'm particulary proud of is one where I set the camera's timer and used my two meter monopod to suspend my camera over a group of taiko drummers. I even had one of my feet on the stage. The pro's couldn't do this because their foot long telephoto were too heavy. My P&S was just the ticket!
I'll have video and more pictures up next week after the conclusion of festivities. I have this weekend's video in rough cut form. Slide show is next. This was just a tease.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
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