megabytemike

Overall things are going pretty well

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:47:10 GMT

So, rather than going to BaGG last night, I decided to sleep. I really needed it after being so worn out from that day.

Overall, being in Oakland and living near the Bay has really really changed me a lot, and for the better. Things are sunnier, there are more creativity and artistic things abound, and loads of fun events to go to. You are never lonely, even if you technically are.

While I still quite don't know as many people as I use to in the area, I can definitely say that isn't really something that has been bugging me a whole lot. School has been keeping me busy, and the good type of busy. Rather than doing boring bookwork all the time, I'm doing more hands-on stuff and actually applying knowledge, rather than the stupid soak it up like a sponge approach.

Yet I still do seem a bit ahead of the curve and such, I've been meeting a couple of people who are giving me a leg up in everything, so it all works out for the best. I've met a really good friend that use to go out to Revenant/Fate, and we wind up carpooling to Deathguild and such now. If not, then Grey is usually around to get rides and such too. Either way, through her I've been meeting quite a few new people as well, although sometimes I don't quite exactly remember all their names, but I'll slowly get there I'm sure.

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Today, I'm getting my lovely Volkswagger back. Apparently there have been some brake issues with it that weren't brought up to my attention since the last service (poo on you VW!). So I won't be having to deal with driving the boat of a car, my parent's Volvo. Mind you, I have been close to many accidents with this car due to the slowness of the engine. Its a gorgeous car to drive in and very comfortable, but other than that, it is still a boat.

After that, I'll be dropping off some laundry with my parents. This has been working out to be a rather good arrangement. I get to visit the parents, so my mom isn't feeling too needy to see me as often, and I get laundry done. Fair trade I suppose. Then I guess I'll also be getting lunch too, so yay for food.

Speaking of food, that has been another thing I have been noticing. I have been sort of "starving," myself by accident. I find myself really occupied and lazy to prepare food, thus I just plain don't eat. I think with the elimination of junky convenience food, it has lead me to the issue of, "Oh crap I have to cook shit and I'm too lazy/busy to do that at the moment." Also not to mention, that I don't make an effort to go out and get food on my own (something I should start doing more often I suppose).

Then finally, for the first time in a year, possibly more, I'm going to GO to someone to cut my hair. I've been cutting my own hair since then (somewhat successfully) and I'll be going to my friend Lindsey to have her cut my hair at her school. I'm going to be getting a rebleach, redye, possible chemical straightening, trim, and everything else imaginable. Hopefully my hair will looking good... fucking good.

It has to be, I won't be doing it. Hah.

How do you deal with...?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:50:52 GMT

People who just plain don't get it. I'm stuck in a group that don't realize how serious some things are and mindless do things hoping that it will work out. Leaving me, either to lead them or to cover their ass. The instructor is pretty much out of the picture and isn't a help at all. In fact, he fucking turns to me to teach everything because I know more than him... YET HE FUCKING WRITES BOOKS ABOUT IT ALL!

Today, the group was insistent on letting this one actor audition, and I was totally unimpressed by his performance, not to mention they changed the script again so I was completely thrown off by everything. Overall, due to this "lazy" approach towards things, we wound up spending so much time over that my hair appointment with a really close friend of mine had to be canceled, and I'm left with very little free time in the next few days. UGH! I'm really pissed at how inconsiderate they are about time, and when I mention we need to get things done at a certain time before something happens, they brush it off.

Overall, if people want to know what I'm doing. Essentially, we are doing a rough 7 minute short film from a script that they selected (which was also a story written by me). It's very hitchcock-esque and has a rather interesting twist. We have to do this entire production binder and stuff, and just overall, I'm really really ready to just, kill someone because I'm doing all the work.

It's coming sooner than you think

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:38:26 GMT

WTF? August Rush?

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:49:56 GMT

Do I look like Robin Williams in August Rush? Side by side comparison.

Bloody Beetroots

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:47:09 GMT

Attention Electro Lovers.

Bloody Beetroots is coming to at the Mezzanine SF.

July 18, 2008
Friday

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then for the more classically influenced...

MISS KITTIN is coming

Friday Sepetember 19th @ 103 Harriet Street (the side entrance to 1015)

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Human League at the Mezzanine as well

August 9th, 2008 at Mezzanine.

I might want one of these:

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:48:27 GMT

Epic...

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:22:10 GMT

Kids say (or draw) the darndest things!

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:41:33 GMT

Great article on Cracked.

It's dead jim (an opinion)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:10:21 GMT

This is simply my opinion, and you are all welcome to disagree with me on it, but... these are based off some observations I've had over awhile.

First off, I want to be the first one to say that, I think the scene is pretty much dead -- atleast in Santa Cruz. I haven't seen any newcomers to The Box in awhile, and when there are newcomers, they are mostly from out of the Santa Cruz area. There have been many attempts at trying to get newcomers, but these attempts have pretty much failed. Hell, no one is even going to UCSC to promote anything at The Box. When was the last time you even saw a flyer for The Box too? If at all, the flyers are all inside The Blue Lagoon and never break away outside.

Secondly, The Blue Lagoon OBVIOUSLY doesn't want us. They have done everything in their power to squash our night, and are becoming effective at it. I'm pretty sure Freddy doesn't want to say it, but it is pretty obvious he wants to get rid of us, and in a sense I can't completely blame him for this. From a bar owner's standpoint, The Box hasn't been as financially viable or sustainable as it may have use to be. Which leads me to another point which can tie some of this together...

A lot of the people who have been coming to The Box have grown up and moved on! We are no longer kindergoths, we are grown-up and eat cereals like Total (mmmm high in fiber!) While they don't want to abandon the sense of community they are in and are still strongly supportive of it, we have people commuting as far as San Francisco to keep supporting a scene which is slowly dying. These people have grown to move on to jobs in a big tech sector in San Jose, to move on to a bigger creative hub like San Francisco. So, what exactly is SC Goth then suppose to be when we have these people traveling so far creating it? "Strange Commuting Goths?" While sure there are still a handful of people who still live in Santa Cruz that attend, the majority of long term supporters have lived outside Santa Cruz.

Now, with all these goths commuting from afar down to Santa Cruz for one night a week, this can add up quite a bit. Gas prices being what they are, and the economy being in such a poor state either discourage people from traveling down, or from purchasing drinks. While I think the change from Monday to Sunday was a good idea... I think it has pretty much become too little too late since, even if The Box were to stay on a Monday night, Deathguild is 70 miles in one direction, and visa-versa.

I can't say I'm not guilty myself for furthering the decline of the SC Goth scene either. I was planning to travel down to The Box tonight, but with this whole double booking that occurred, carpooling with someone who was going to DJ there is pretty moot.

What I can say, is that we need to focus and grow on our strengths, which are good ones! We have a strong tightly knit community. While we may not see each other as often as we live despite financial issues or drama, we are always united. We have this incredible power of community, and we haven't learned to properly focus or utilize this power. We've been trying all these different things to help the community other than cater to it. The Box isn't the community, we are. So even if events like Revenant are to go, or even if The Box were to go, we are always united as a community.

Awkward PEOPLE

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:14:14 GMT

The dude in the middle looks soooooo awkward

Heinz Gay Kiss Commercial -- Banned?

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:58:23 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jun/24/asa.advertising

I wouldn't see what all the huss is about. Its rather comedic in my opinion. It would have been awesome if they got Robert DeNiro to play the deli guy tho.

Hairstylists?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:23:56 GMT

So, I don't have quite the luxurious bathroom that I use to have at my old place, not to mention the incredible amount of time to myself to do it anymore but... It hasn't been nearly a year and a half since I've gotten a haircut by a person versus doing it myself. Since I'm within a bridge's leap of probably a dozen untapped resources for hairstylists and such I still have reservations.

I'm still a bit afraid that I'll go in, and come out with something completely icky and bleh. That is not to say, that I haven't done that to myself in a couple of occasions but, I've been doing a rather decent job I think.

With all this said, considering the current state of my hair (red). Does anyone have any suggestions for a hair salon that I can go to and get a rather decent hair cut, and possibly go to for future bleaching/dying?

(still wonders why the right side of my head grows faster than the left)

Eventual goal...

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:20:01 GMT

To have a couple of these towers to make my bleep bloop sounds.

I just almost crapped my pants...

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:58:50 GMT

THE HUMAN LEAGUE IS PLAYING AT THE MEZZANINE!

The frigging Human League!!! I can't fucking believe it!

Jay Siegan Presents
UK Electro / New Wave Legends

The Human League

DJs Skip and Shindog (New Wave City)

Tickets go on sale this Sunday, and I'm going to buy 2 for sure. ZOMG! Human League people! August 9th!!!!!

This is what work is like...

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:18:13 GMT

Sean "Gobo" Kiely - Flickr Pool

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:28:23 GMT

In remembrance of Sean "Gobo" Kiely, I have created a flickr pool where you can add photos of Sean. Feel free to invite others and add your photos. I have already added the few ones of mine that I have, but I know there are a lot more out there.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sean-gobo-kiely/

Empty boxes?

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:17:27 GMT

I'm just curious if anyone here keeps their empty boxes for their goods and such. Like shoe boxes, boxes for your electronics, etc? Are there any specific reasons why one should keep theirs besides to repackage and pack the said item for transport?

I've been packing most of today and noticed that I tend to keep quite a few boxes from the past around and it does take up an awful lot of space. I'm contemplating tossing out the shoe boxes, and certain electronic item boxes. Keeping the more high end electronic boxes for later.

So what say you? Keep or toss?

Even more official!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:27:25 GMT

I've been fully accepted into Ex'pression. I'll be starting on the 27th.

Found a New Place!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:27:07 GMT

I haven't been keeping things mostly up to do but... here is a quick recap before I go into the big story.

Went to the interview at Ex'pression. I'm most likely going to be getting in. I have freakishly good hearing. I have to manage course descriptions and such to matriculate credits or what not. Other than that, it's good.

So, with 14 days to go until the first day of school. I needed to find a place. I've been looking around at places the last few days and had narrowed it down to two choices. Then as of today, the choices had narrowed to one. Ironically, a place that is right across the ways from artkiver (Grey). So, I guess I won't be entirely alone out in Oakland. But it's a nice little nifty triangle shaped loft that will have plenty of space for me to entertain, as well as work on school work and the such.

With all that in mind, I'll be heading down to Monterey and slowly packing stuff up to my new place in Oakland. Like I've said earlier, I'll probably be parting ways with some of my previous goods and such, so stay tuned for anything regarding that.

And if you are interested in where I'll be:
Click Here

Ex'pression it is!

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:31:21 GMT

So, today... after a long but fun night in Santa Cruz, I woke up with about 3 hours of sleep and headed over with the parents to Ex'pression in Emeryville. I had no clue what I was in store for other than, a nicer place than before.

I almost shat my pants. Luckily I was sooo fucking tired, I couldn't make a peep (or poop). This place is the place. It has been exactly what I've been missing this whole time educationally speaking. While I'm definitely ahead of the game to a lot of the students that are there, I think this might lead me to have a HUGE advantage. The whole concept of the place is that its accelerated learning. It mimics real life working environments as much as possible (throwing in bizarre hours sometimes for classes or labs).

The place is equipped like a recording palace. It has all of the top line equipment, all working and operational. None of the bullshit with CSU Monterey where they don't have funding to even get their own console they spent all their money on to work. They have rare one of a kind setups and items (5 Meyer speakers that only 10 are in existence. Each speaking being $35,000, and for studio use).

The few things I had some reservations on was how ProTools heavy they were, but I guess it is just something I'll be forced to learn, but wouldn't mind. Doesn't necessarily mean I have to purchase my own P.T. setup tho :-P.

So, after the open house-ness. I went over to look at two properties I had narrowed down the day before. The first one was unavailable to look at, but my mother has many reservations over it seeing as the building was inbetween a railroad track and BART. I didn't see there being much of an issue as the unit I was looking at was in the center of the building leaving the neighboring units to absorb much of the sound. But I think another thing had to do with the junkyard she spotted bums sitting at 2 blocks down the street. I thought the place was rather charming and had a Hollywood film set feel to the outside. That's just me though.

Either way, I wound up settling on a place with cheaper rent and more square footage. It's pretty much an empty flat, that might need a lot of TLC, but the place I think seems worth it. Neighbored by many artist types, has a view of the Coliseum, and retains the industrial feel. Maybe even more so once I get through with it :-P I'm thinking I might wind up painting the walls Firefox colors. Not sure yet. We'll have to wait to see if the application gets approved and all (which I'm hoping it does). Then I might actually be able to move as soon as the end of this month or even before then.

In addition, I'll be starting school full time on the 25th. Tuesday I have to do an additional interview, and a hearing test. I haven't taken a hearing test since elementary school. I'm kinda wondering if I should try "practicing" myself. Either way, I'll be doing double earplugs for tonight so I don't throw off the test. I already know that I might be lacking a little in the 800Hz and below. But I know that I can hear all the way up to 18-20kHz range, or rather feel it in my sinus.

Dad and I get it...

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:53:56 GMT

So, after a talk with one of our family friends, the topic of low cost housing in Emeryville/Oakland/Berkeley came up. I tried to keep out of the topic of conversation as much as possible since I knew I would have passionately fight for asking to get a place outside of theirs. After coming back home, my dad and I talked about it, and he said it might actually be the best route considering that they really just don't have the space for me here.

Which means, tomorrow I'll be looking at places, with no definitive purchasing. After I take a tour of the school, things might change.

Hopefully this means Chateau Megabyte 2.0 will soon be in grasp.

Ultimate Birthday Cake

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:54:24 GMT

The perfect cake for your birthday occasion.

2 Girl 1 Cup Cake.

Is this really any better?

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:06:42 GMT

Is a little bit of hell worth all uncertainty? I'm not sure if I'm progressing or regressing by making this decision. I've been feeling really anxious as of late, because... as of recent, all I seem to do is just sit around. I don't think my parents were at all prepared of letting me do this. They have been using my bedroom for the past year for a room to store their antique crap. Then on top of that, the second garage is full of crap too. So I have nowhere to put my stuff. Then they tell me to go ahead and just start setting up stuff, and until I bring furniture here, they'll figure out what to do with their stuff.

NO. Not going to happen. I'm not going to bring a shitload of more stuff here to add to the mess.

I'm really frustrated with how all this is going, I just... sit all down, honestly. On here on the computer, and I can't do anything else until a crapload of other stuff happens. So, it looks like I'm going to be the only one here FORCING it to happen by doing it myself.

I guess if they don't like it, they have to DEAL.

Saturday Happenings!

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:04:46 GMT

I check out Expression over in Emeryville, then after, I'm going to the mezzanine to see:

MSTRKRFT

MOBY (DJ SET)

Motor (Live)

Shit Disco

Hells yea!

Couldn't come at a more awful time...

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:37:45 GMT

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/02/business/02loans.html?ex=1370145600&en=992ee25b27588279&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg

So... it looks like I will be in the shithole for awhile. Thanks US.