Last month I was in a Kenneth Cole store and I was looking at a pair of jeans. I think looked at the mannequin that was wearing said jeans, with a matching sweater and dress shirt. Looked pretty clean. So I said, "hmm maybe I'll just buy that outfit". "No", my friend says, "you'll look like a tool".

I don't get it. I mean I kind of do. But isn't the point of the mannequins' outfits to show consumers how they might dress the pieces together? I mean, the outfits that the employees put on the mannequins have to go together, and so the train of thought that the employee must have is the same kind of thought that a person would put into putting an outfit together for themselves. So if I see an outfit that a model or a person I know is wearing, or an ad/article in GQ is showing how to match certain pieces with certain other pieces, and then I mimick those outfits, does that make me a tool? Or is simply the act of walking up to the register and buying the outfit in front of the very person that put the outfit together make you look like a tool? If anything, it would show that you don't know how to dress yourself, but it could also be a compliment to the people that put it together. I myself, am horrible at fashion, and so can always use any help I can get.

Logic: 1 My friend: 0. You lose, good day sir.

There is only one way to remove/stop the inkling to compare. And that's to remove the source. Once you remove the source, comparing becomes impossible. And eventually, not comparing becomes habit. That's the only way.

I will not comment on my weight or how I look until March 7th. By then it will have been 3 months of exercising, with little sugar in my diet. But of course, complaints or not, I will exercising until at LEAST Sept 6th, with the only reason why I won't be exercising on the 7th and 8th is because I'll be busy with one of the very reasons why I have to lose weight in the first place.

I will also not complain about planning vegas trips. I actually find it interesting to do research on the city, so it's not so bad to plan the trips. Plus, I have access to my email pretty much my entire workday. Also, indifference isn't just a habit, it's a way of life. That's not a complaint - it's the truth, which simply makes it an observation.

Do I go on vacation this year? I'd like to go to Japan again, but I'd also like to go to Germany for Octoberfest. I'd also like to check out a more serene tropical place. But I'd also like to buy a place and finally move out. And i have to take into account the fact that when one goes on vacation, tons of money is spent. Having to purchase every meal, hotel, transportation, etc. make any vacation fucking expensive. Also, being able to speak the language of the place you're going makes it easier. As much fun as pointing, charades, and body language is, it's not fun when you have to do it every time you go somewhere. Japan is particulary fucking embarassing/frustrating. When I was in Japan and was unable to speak any Japanese, the shame was almost unbearable. I wanted to punch myself for not trying to learn harder, and punch my parents for 1) never speaking to me in Japanese, even just a LITTLE ("we're not fluent" is NO excuse!) and 2) not enrolling me in Japanese school. Now that I'm older/stupider and my brain is no longer a sponge and now forming calcium deposits, it's very difficult to learn how to speak japanese. In addition, with no one around me speaking japanese or having the ability to, it's pretty much impossible.

Speaking of buying a place, I'm still trying to swallow the fact that once I buy a place (I do not want to rent), my savings will be DESTROYED. I mean seriously destroyed. And in addition my savings being beaten the fuck down, my take home pay will also have its ass kicked due to mortgage. I know this is all a reality that EVERYONE is forced to accept and thus I have no right to complain, but FUUUUCCCCKKKK. Hopefully i can find a two or three bedroom place and get someone to rent (Brendan, as long as he doesn't watch Wall-E or bring high school girls back to the place).

I wonder what this year has in store..

Okay, I know I've made fun of him because of his over-use of auto-tune, but yo..

T-Pain can dance yo!!

BTW, I did not mention that I went to a Cal game last week. It was fucking awesome. They beat UofA. Randle and Christopher are consistent and much better than last year. The defense is AWESOME. I have to admit that it's very strange seeing Coach Montgomery leading the Bears after coaching at Stanford for so long (we won't even mention his short stint coaching the warriors). But yeah, they beat UofA and they even put the 7 foot something chinese guy (Max) in near the end...he's apparently a crowd favorite. And then on sunday, they beat ranked ASU! That really made my day because it came down to the wire and then the Bears took them out near the end. Randle hit a 3 pointer and got fouled, making a four point play. I'm excited for this season, but I'm not holding my breath.

As for the warriors, with Captain Jax out, the season is more than done. If anything, this will be a good chance for Nelly to put in all the young players and give them some playing time for next season. I really wish they hadn't gotten Maggette, but whatevers. I guess every team needs a black hole for money. And honestly, this season isn't even exciting. The lakers are going to win the finals, period. It's not even a contest. So i don't get it when laker fans are so excited to watch their team. Of course they're gonna win. They're like the yankees of the nba. and I hate them. My two favorite teams are the warriors, and in jest, anyone who plays the lakers.

In response to Brendan's post (which I knew was coming as soon as I wrote the blog because he's on pixar's nuts. I kid. well, not really)

Yes, I've talked to many people about this. Some say it's great because it's a cute kid movie. Some people tell me to look for the deeper meaning behind the robots. Some people tell me that the animation is fucking awesome and how dare I not like a pixar movie!!! But the results are definitely in: Everyone loves this movie except for me. Everyone. No really. Everyone. Try googling it. For everyone person who dares to say "Wall-E" sucks, you will see a wave of responses telling the person that they fucking suck and they don't know quality when they see it and hey, it's a fucking kid's movie and what did they expect.

But alas, to me the movie still sucks. Deep meaning pulled out of it or not. I could attempt to pull deep meanings out of any pixar movie (toy story, cars, etc.) Being that this particular movie hit upon a theme that enjoy thinking about was just an accident. And of course, I would this particular subject to be presented in more realistic concepts. Of course, the counter to this is what everyone else tells me "IT'S A KID'S MOVIE YOU FUCKTARD!"

So how could this movie be changed so that I would like it?
It has nothing to do with lack of dialogue. I simply like realistic movies. And regardless of what Eve represents or what wall-e's child-like persona represents, for me it's much simpler. I enjoy what robots represent due to their lack of emotion. They show what makes us human by being not human. Example, Terminators, HAL, etc. They kill humans because it seems like the most logical choice. This lack of emotion and drive towards nothing but efficiency amazes me. When I first started watching Wall-e I thought it would be cool. Wall-e was the last robot on earth, still carrying out his one objective - clean up shit. He had no problem with taking body parts of his dead compariates. However, I was disappointed to see that he also decided to collect shit like a packrat or a child (IT'S A KID'S MOVIE YOU FUCKTARD). And then of course to find that he had emotion (HEY. KID. MOVIE. FUCK. TARD)

So what if anything could have made this movie good then, you heartless prick?
Well, you know how I like realistic endings. If wall-e had NOT come back, even after being rebuilt. If he had served as a sort of tragic hero, or martyr, who died in order for humanity to realize it's mistakes, then I think I would have enjoyed it more. Or maybe if it concentrated more on the struggles of the human characters to readapt. Or have one main character who was human. Yes, Brendan is right in saying that a metaphor is sometimes better than more direct presentation. However, I feel like there are two sides presented in this movie about humans being fucked up (the human side, and the robot side). And such that, I'd rather see the perspective on the human side. This movie concentrates on the robot side obviously. But I don't really care about the robot side. This is a comment about humanity, and I'd rather see humans to present that. Not a robot who acts like one. And yes, you can present the issue from either side. It's just preference.

I think if the metaphor really wanted to be put all the way, then that would have been better. See, having Wall-e "die" at the end, would show the difference from his form earlier in the movie, which was more "human" and his dead form, which was all "robot". THAT would have been better. I mean, Wall-e and Eve were robots, but robots with emotion. Robots with emotion are practically humans. So if Wall-e has curosity and wants to hold hands with a girl and fall in love, then metaphor or not, he is not a robot. So yes, if we show Wall-e as a metaphor of a human, and then we erase his humanity, then we would have two philosophical messages for the price of one! Because we couldn't just have wall-e be a normal robot for the whole movie! What purpose would that serve??? Then we'd have a two hour movie of watching wall-e pick up trash while fat while and black people get fatter? (I just laughed at the thought of that actually). And more than anything of course...it would NOT. BE. A. KID'S. MOVIE.

The following are three different philosophies:
1) A metaphor of unspoiled vs. spoiled
2) Showing humans what they are by giving an example of their most extreme opposite: robots
3) What technology does to humans and their social connections.
So even if Wall-e is trying to accomplish 1, 2 and some of 3 all in one, I personally don't think you can do that with how the movie is presented. If you're going to go with one, that's fine, but don't use robots. That's not realistic because of what I see as robots representing (lack of human traits) If they want to use wall-e as a metaphor of the unspoiled, curious child untouched by the dirt that one acquires when they become an adult, that's fine, but don't use a robot - I can't dig it. ( I would suggest using anything..something more realistic like a talking lion cub, or a living talking toy, for example. Sarcasm!). By trying to do all three, I think that's where I got a little.."EH".

But even then I'm not sure. I can't even really tell you what you could do to make this movie better. And honestly, I could come up with a number of changes, all of which would go against the fact that this is a kid's movie and pull it closer to Short Circuit or Batteries Not Included. I guess I expected different from this movie, but then I have to remind myself that this is, after all, a children's movie, and I, am apparently, an utter retard of the fucked nature.

So to answer all of you out there, yes, Brendan is right. I did see this movie as a two robots fall in love story with nothing else. I'm not quite sure how that qualifies me as heading down a road toward gluttony and lack of social skills. I also don't know how that shows that I'm too dependent on technology. I think it shows is that I think Wall-E sucks for a philosophical movie, and great for a children's movie. I guess that's the big thing. I think wall-e sucks because I was trying to pull philosophy out of a kid's movie (seriously who the fuck does that?), and last I checked, nothing kills a good buzz like trying to find Aristotle in Sleeping Beauty. So I guess it's not so much that wall-e sucks; rather it's more like whatever is in my head that controls my expectations sucks. If I get pissed that no orange juice came out of the lemon when I tried to juice it, then who's the dumb one? You got it - the fucking lemon.

I kid, I kid. But irregardless - still not a fan. So if we go by the numbers, my taste sucks, as shown by the sheer number of people who disagree with me. Oh well.

Don't get me wrong. In all honesty, I see what all of you are saying, and I acknowledge that I can understand why you're saying it. I don't disagree with you. I just think wall-e wasn't a very good movie. Blame it on my wack tastes, I suppose.

2008 was a good year. Every year is a good year because every day and every second allows me an opportunity to analyze, learn, and hopefully have some fun along the way.

This year especially, I feel like I've learned so much about myself and life in general. Specifically in the second half of the year. Through good things and bad things, I feel like I've finally soaked up a very realistic perspective on everything around me. Good things happen, bad things happen. It's all a part of life, and the nice thing about that is that no matter what, you will learn and grow from every experience. Because we all know how much I can't stand being complacent.

New years resolutions are something that I'm not really going to make. I feel like when I do, I always end up not doing them. Rules are not things that people like to follow. It needs to be a gradual change, otherwise I'll probably just say "fuck it". I know what I want to do, and by doing a little bit everyday, I'll hopefully reach my goal. Another reason I don't want to say what my goals are for 2009 is that I feel like by saying them to everyone, I'll be trying to come up a with another reason to accomplish these goals. I want to know that I can do these goals, even if I'm the only one who I will let down if I don't. (not that anyone really gives a shit, I'm just saying)

So what else will happen in 2009? I'm not sure. I'm hoping I'll move out, maybe find a new job, meet more new people, do more things, etc. I feel like in the past, so much of what my life was was comparing my life to other's lives, and looking at yesterday or tomorrow way too much. That leads to so much wasted time and negativity though. And boy do I hate wasting time.

Add this to the long list of things that no one else hates but me.
Saved by the bell, full house, boy meets world..

WALL-E.

Honestly, I was not a fan of this movie. I think it was because my expectations were so high because everyone and their mom made this sound like this movie would be one step beyond fucking awesome.

If the movie had focused more on the humans living in excess and destroying themselves, or how they had put so much of their attention on the technology that they had forgotten how to socially connect with one another...themes that I enjoy discussing and thinking about, then I think I would have enjoyed the movie better.

Unfortunately, that was a side theme of two robots falling in love. Awwwww. I must remind myself that this is a children's movie though.

Nevertheless, I felt it was a waste of my time.

Kung Fu Panda, which I also watched recently, I felt was far better. The themes, character development, and overall message were more complex and better.