Monday, August 31, 2009

Step-Brothers



With Alicia away in North Carolina visiting Vivian and Jack, I spent the weekend fixing a computer at work (bad logic board!?!?), taking Chalupa to the vet (some topical medicine for her terrible and worsening rash, now all over her hears and little head), cleaning and doing laundry, and watching dumb movies. I rented a few horror movies (one being the absolutely fantastic "Motel Hell") and the crazy Will Ferrell movie "Step Brothers."

I have to admit, I expected nothing at all from this movie, and really only rented it because I got a free movie from our movie store (3 for 2 on Saturdays). I have not really liked many of Will Ferrel's latest movies (although fun premises, I just thought they were bloated and lazy) and don't even get me started on my detest for John C. Reily (of course Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Hard Eight are terrific, he as a character actor is pretty abominable... Dewy Cox, anyone?)

Imagine my surprise when I found myself, alone in the apartment, laughing out loud for about 2 hours straight. I had to rewind 2 or 3 times just to see/hear what I had missed while I was laughing so hard. I was blown away not by how silly or goofy it is (and BOY, it is) but really by how DARK and DISTURBING it is. It is very unsettling to see these 2 man-childs vie for dominance and attention from their exasperated parents. Imagine the Brady Bunch with 2 children rather than 6, and both of them are played by Baby Huey.

I loved it. I can't wait to watch it again. Maybe it was just my mood, but I sure needed a hearty laugh.

Friday, August 28, 2009

We All Could Learn From This

The Wheels Are Falling Off




I just got off the phone with my Father (remarkable in itself, since he just had surgery removing a portion of his tongue last week) and he actually sounded really good. Upbeat and positive, he was even thinking of going back to some of his work next week (at least a few hours, anyway).

He told me though, that not all news is good. Two Thursdays from now, it seems, he will have to return to Hopkins for additional surgery (ironically, they are going to perform something that the surgeon decided not to do while she was in session last week... ) She said she was very very sorry, while my Father replied "Not as sorry as I am!" I swear to god, I understand not wanting to over-operate if unneccesary, but jeez... he was JUST in there, and the plan WAS to do this procedure. to stitch him up without doing it, only to have to come back a week later is absurd (and cruel and unusual).

That's not the end of the drama in the Vondracek household though.

My dad told me while we spoke, that he was calling me from GBMC Medical Center. (uh oh)

He proceeds to tell me that they are there for Sharon, who was diagnosed with a detached retina, requiring emergency medical attention, and emergency surgery scheduled for this coming Tuesday.

Unbelievable.

He also tells me his car is in the shop (this is what bothers my dad most about all this, BTW!) AND, on top of it all, they are having plumbing/sewage issues in their brand new house (about 1 year old!!!!)

I am pretty sure if he was not drugged out of his mind, he would have committed Hari Kari by now.

Please keep them in your prayers, and send some positive JuJu their way!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Study: 74% Of Children Tenting Out In Yard Don't Make It Through The Night



WASHINGTON—According to a new report released this week by the Department of Health and Human Services, 74 percent of all American children camping out in their backyards never, ever make it through the night.

The study, which surveyed hundreds of innocent children between the ages of 7 and 12, found that, in almost all cases, sleeping outdoors in a tent with a flashlight and comic books and who knows what else lurking around in the dark ended in horrible tragedy.

"We now have definitive proof that most children who camp out in their yards will die a horrific death," said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of health and human services. "Whether it's a sudden wolf attack, an escaped mental patient, or just Old Man Greenly, who lost his hand in a gruesome mill accident and now seeks his bloody revenge, young boys and girls rarely live to see their parents or friends again."

Secretary Sebelius concluded the press conference by telling children to sleep tight, throwing her head back and cackling wildly.

Conducted over the course of two months, the study documented nearly 18,345 ways in which children, who never suspected a thing until it was far too late, met their grisly demise.

In 29 percent of all recorded cases, young campers were chopped up into tiny pieces by fugitive axe murderers. While a shocking 32 percent of kids, snacking on potato chips and candy bars, awakened the ghost of a little baby boy named Jeremy.

According to the study, 100 percent of all children tried to scream and yell for help, but nothing came out.

"Though a terrifying scenario, kids should not worry too much about the prospect of being attacked by killer ghosts," said Dr. Howard Fredericks, the study's chief researcher and a professor of forensic biology at Columbia University. "Especially since our data suggests they're three times more likely to be kidnapped by the Very Lonely Woman Who Lives in the Woods."

"She's this horrible-looking woman with scabs all over her face who had her children taken away by the state," Fredericks continued. "She now roams across the suburbs at night, crying and wailing, and mistaking young kids playing inside their tents for her own."

Although Fredericks claimed that the odds of an unsuspecting child surviving until morning were slim, he did issue a list of warning signs to watch for. The sound of a nearby twig snapping, Fredericks said, almost always indicates that a half-man, half-lizard swamp creature, who feeds on the organs of schoolchildren while they're still alive, is on the prowl. In addition, the study found that turning off one's flashlight or closing one's eyes for "even a second" is an open invitation to all disfigured hitchhikers in the area to suddenly attack.

"Children should know, however, that if they hear scratching on the side of their tent, it's probably just their older brother trying to scare them," Fredericks said. "And if the scratching suddenly stops, it's most likely because their parents have gone insane and crept up from behind with this really demonic look in their eyes and slit his throat."

As dire as these findings may appear, Fredericks claimed there was one way for children camping outdoors to escape their fate.

"If they are able to avoid being bitten by poisonous spiders crawling around inside their sleeping bag, can keep all their fingers and toes crossed long enough to ward off Sister Mary, and manage to run back home without the inbred family of cannibal people seeing them first, they may actually stand a chance," said Fredericks, an eerie smile forming on his lips. "But even if they do, there's no telling what they'll find once they get inside."


Couresty of America's Finest News Source

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Work Is Picking Up



String Theory has been busy the past 2 weeks, with 4 people cranking. In house now:

a. An Awesome animation series for AC/DC (will post as soon as it delivers)
b. A corporate video parodying the graphic styling of Top Chef.
c. A type-driven Pitch for Mello Yello
d. 2 x different episodes of A&E's "The First 48"
e. A PBS American Experience doc "Wyatt Earp"
f. An animation package for Legacy (A Sony Music Label)
g. A Type Animation for the Broadway musical: Jersey Boys
h. Logo animation for TimeWarner Cable

Not a whole lot to comment on, other than it's good to be busy. Fall is kicking in, and as I polish up the class syllabus for Cooper U, I just got to thinking that before we know it, it will be the Holidays again. Hoo Boy. Let's not rush too much.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Fortune




Fortune Cookie tonight (while watching tv):

"Idleness is the Holiday Of Fools"

Cancer




2 Weeks ago, on a pleasant (and long overdue) trip to Baltimore, we were in the way to my Mom's house for some R+R at the poolside, looking forward to a small meetup with her and Amanda, as well as Alicia's Mom, Tino and Linda, and even our old friend Lori.

On the way there, Sharon called and broke the bad news: that my Father was diagnosed with stage 1 oral cancer. His previous oral cancer scare from a few years back (where he immediately quit drinking AND smoking "cold turkey" **) was apparently not the end of the story. This was caught early, in a relatively premature stage, so with the proper series of tests and a meeting with a surgeon, should be dealt with in the easiest way possible.

That following Monday, he was hammered with tests, xrays, CT scans, and every other poke, prod and measurement they possibly could. By end of week, the results were in, and while they were still cautiously optimistic about treatment, it was upgraded to stage 2, and they began making difficult and gruesome decisions regarding surgery and treatment.

The following week (this past monday) he met with the specialist, who set up immediate surgery, taking him in on Thursday. They needed to remove part of his tongue (a terribly painful and long-healing process) which knocks out his ability to speak, eat, etc, as you can probably imagine.

On Thursday, he entered surgery, for a long tense day, where, during the course of the operation, we learned that a few things were looking better in person than they had in the xray, and not only did the surgeon downgrade his condition to stage 1, but also decided, while on the operating table, that 1 of the 3 particularly difficult aspects of the surgery did NOT need to be done after all. Good news? We'll take it.

He spent the night, leaving the hospital on Friday late afternoon, and has been resting and healing all weekend, mostly under heavy sedation and painkillers.

It looks like it will be a long and painful road to heal, but the doctors are optimistic that radiation is off the table (at least for the time being). Things can ALWAYS be worse, after all. We are wishing him well, and any and all good thoughts, prayers, letters, etc are appreciated!

I will post updates as I get them from Sharon!




** A Feat I NEVER thought he could or WOULD do. It's probably the most amazing and impressive thing I've known him to do. It also is a cold reminder that even if you QUIT after a lifetime of smoking, sometimes the damage is already done. Consider this if you are even THINKING of trying a cigarette in the near future.

Back To The Beach




We went to the Jersey Shore (Barnegat, NJ) this weekend to visit with the Cruz' sisters old neighbors. It was a lot of fun, and completely exhausting. Family, friends, dogs, a six week old kitten, 2 children with cartoons and video games, a beach, a bay, burger shack, dessert cafe, swimming pool, grill, sweltering heat, scorching sunburn, and beer pong.

whew!

Thanks to Jenn, Wes, Matthew and Meghan for hosting us (not to mention Sammy and Gracie!!! woof!) We had a great time, with great food to boot! Hope to see you soon, perhaps in Manhattan sometime? Dim Sum, anyone?

Sunday, August 16, 2009

It Might Be Awesome




Alicia and I just got back from the fantastic new doc "It Might Get Loud", directed by Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) and featuring the guitar musings and brilliant flares of inspiration and imrov from Jack White (White Stripes, Racontours, etc), the Edge (a little band called U2, anyone?) and a small unknown studio musician from the other side of the pond, by the name of James Page. (Jimmy, if you follow that whole Led Zepplin-thing!)

intercutting documentary interview, ponderous musings while alone, interaction of the 3 generations in the same space, and archival and vintage performace footage, this "doc" really functioned more as a portrait, or series of character studies, not unlike The Wrestler...

but make no mistake... there is not an OUNCE of pretention or self importance to be found in this picture. It is charming, fast, witty, entertaining and genuinely warm and creatively inspiring. What struck me the most was how nervous EACH of the three are to meet each other in the scenes leading up to their first introduction. All three are so different, from their upbringing, country of origin, economic class, and agegroup, that it is clear to me that all three genuinely had an awe for the other, and once their intimidations came down, they genuinely seemed to bod and jam and open up in such a way that a traditional "interviewer" asking rote questions would never have been able to get them to do.

Warm. Candid. Genuinely smart and creative and entertaining, it is not to be missed by anyone even casually interested in rock and roll, and certainly not by anyone who has anything more than a passing interest in these 3 great (and very different talents. Do not wait for video. Support Independent film, and support rock and roll. See this on the big screen, in the dark, with a great surround sound system.

Who's That Ugly Mug In I.D. Magazine?



Here is a link to a crude PDF scan I made of the article, for those of you who can't blow $35 on a newstand issue!

Download Full 5-Page PDF Here

As you can imagine, it was a HUGE honor for me to be partnered with an MIT Doctorate, not to mention the other jurors (NASA designers, Art Director of the New York Times Magazine, etc). I am proud of our selection(s) and hope you all enjoy it as much as we did discussing it.

There Must Be An Open Door... For You... To Come Back

I am so sorry I have not been updating this blog the past few months. Your complaints have NOT fallen on deaf ears! (geoff, JoeRo, Amy, Alicia, etc!) I have been busy. Blah Blah Blah. Everyone's busy... so what?


Well, let's catch up, in Chronological order.

March (while I was still blogging actively) was a mess. I was forced to part with my business partner at The String Theory (those of you who know me well know all the gory details... casual readers, you will just have to use your imaginations, since I don't want to use this blog as a vehicle for bad talk). I was left with a business in flames, an assload of work and projects still left to do, and an unbearable and crippling back pain/muscle spasm because of the stress.

The Lawsuit continued unabated, and all I could do to get through it was to focus on work and getting new projects.

So I Did. After the slowest 2 month stretch of my entire career (Jan and Feb. Yeah, remember the whole economic collapse of the country?) I got busier than I had been in Years. Big projects. Fun Projects. Small Projects. Crappy Projects. I took them all. Did them all. Delivered them all. I did not rest until the machine was pulsing at full capacity again.

I wasn't exactly my usual chipper self. I had not been listening to anything new, nothing noteworthy. Just hunkered down, working through the misery. Without fun new music (or even the joy of listening to OLD music) I simply didn't have any interest to post a new entry. Facebook blips were ablout all I could muster.

But then the weather got warmer. The work started going Great. The clooud and Shadow that my old partner had cast seemed to be lifted from the office, and my life.

We went to Antigua (pronounced An-TEE-ga) for some MUCH needed R&R, as well as Peat's Wedding (which was beautiful).

The verdict for my lawsuit's "Summary Judgement" hearing came back in my favour (more on that later)... Although it is still going on, the Summary Judgement Ruling was a critical slap in the face to Capital One/NFB, and added some much needed wind to my sails.

The Annual Design Review Issue of I.D. Magazine released this month, and yours truly is featured in photograph and by way of 5 page article. Check it out, but with a $35 newstand price, I would not be offended at all if you read the scan I made of it, that I will post tomorrow when I get to the office (stay tuned)

Things are much improved. Work is stable. We have visited friends and family over the past few weeks, and all of a sudden, I feel like listening to music again. This of course, makes me want to share it again. Hence the new post.

sorry for the long winded tirade.

I just thought I owed you an explanation, and an apology.

Stay tuned to this program.

Download: Pearl Jam: Come Back (Live 2008, Washington DC)

P.S... on top of it all, my old website got hacked, and I am still in the process of sorting in all out. That is why there are no PICTURES or LINKS to ASSETS on my older posts...

As I sort it out, I will migrate all of it to the new server, and fix the links accordinly. Sorry for the hassle