El lujo de los muertos

Porque vivimos con tiempo prestado y en cualquier momento nos cobran con intereses. Anda! corre y no te detengas a preguntarte pendejadas, que tienes la carroza de la muerte detras tuyo, y el chofer no conoce de respeto. Haz de tu vida un papalote y vuela con el por los cielos que otros solo ven desde abajo. Dibujate una cara feliz y pontela cuando llueva, emborrachate del olor a tierra mojada y enlodate los pies, que nadie que haya cruzado este mundo llega al final con los pies limpios. Inventa, experimenta y echa a perder, porque equivocarse es un lujo que los muertos quisieran poder darse...

Everything is illuminated

I used to be a collector. Back when I was a kid, I used to save everything I would consider worth saving, which was pretty much any piece of crap you would think of: Stones, soda cans, toiletries from hotels, fliers, flower seeds, and so on. My favorites were the free toys from Sabritas' bags of chips (which included Disney plastic figurines, The Thundercats, Flinstones holograms).

So I couldn't help but feeling related to Jonathan (Elijah Woods, yes, Frodo himself), the main character of the movie, this jewish guy who is a restless collector of items that belonged to some family member, and hangs them in a wall.

After his grandfather passed away, he sets off to on a trip to Russia to find the whereabouts of a lady that supposedly helped his grandfather to escape the nazis and make it to America.

I loved the scenery, where most of the movie develops, following the long roadtrip in an old tourist car through the russian countryside. The dialogs between Jonathan and Alex, his translator, are hilarious, mostly because of the funny interpretations.

One thing I tought it was funny, is how much Frodo, I mean, Elijah Woods reminds me (visually, and sometimes also personality wise) of his other character in Sin City which have nothing in common and at the same time, look so much alike!!!, judge yourself, left is his Sin City character, the cannibal Kevin, and on the right is Jonathan, who ironically enough is a vegetarian lol :

So anyway, the movie is a nice comedy that kept me interested all of the time, the story develops at a good space, narrated by Alex, the translator. It's a great story about people who live in the past, and also about people who has left the past behind. "Everything is illuminated in the light of the past, which is inside us looking out" -says Alex.

Something that really got me was the soundtrack. What an amazing selection of russian folk music. The song from the credits is awesome "start wearing purple", some mash-up of world beat, ska, and russian folk. The name of the band is Gogol Bordello, and you can go here if you want to check it out.

Ringu: the chicken or the egg

When it comes to japanese horror movies, I've always think they're the best around. They don't rely as much as american movies in special effects, famous actors or a lot of CG graphics. It's always about the mood, the story, the music, the details. And damn, I LOVE the fact that they are less predictable, since the main characters don't have the immunity to harm we see in most western movies, where you will know for sure the main character will not die or lose a limb or something. No-oh, in japanese movies your favorite character can die ANYTIME.

This movie is no different, I really enjoyed it. However, having seen the american version first a few years ago, I must admit the american remake improves a little, mostly story-wise, from the original movie.

There's just a couple things in Ringu's story that left me thinking "wait a minute, how did they know that...?". It was like I sat in the remote controller and fast forwarded to the next scene. Things like how they find out about the well's location. Suddenly they just had the whole thing figured out and we missed the in-between development. Yes, I know the remake filled-in those in-betweens and since I saw it first I believe that something is missing when it wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place but... Im not gonna get into a time paradox here, I just think that extra development was necessary.

One of the things I loved from the american version was the whole concept of the "shining ring" we see at the end of the "cursed videoclip" that the movie is about. For me, that was BRILLIANT!!. Sadly, that is missing in the original movie, which I was a bit dissappointed about, BUT I must say that I think the video we see in the original movie is actually creepier than in the american version.

The soundtrack is very haunting, and yeah, I think the final sequence (now a classic) with the girl creeping out of the TV is way more dramatic in the original than in the americanized version. Though I've always said that the american version should have removed everything after the sequence in the cabin. Seriously. After that is all downhill in terms of believability. However, in the original movie it makes sense! (which I think I am NOT doing anymore lol)

But Anyway, did I watch the movies in the wrong order? I will never know, unless I completely erase the movies from my memory and try again. Maybe in my next life...

Late gym session

Last night I went to the gym very late, around 10. I haven't eaten anything before (I ate a turkey and egg sandwich about 3 hours before).

I'm not sure if it was becasue of that but I was feeling so tired. I couldn't even complete the second series of the bench exercises I did. I managed to finish by doing the rest after taking a short break, but I was feeling overall un-energized.

Probably it was the fact I was hungry or maybe that I was still sore from last weeks' sessions. Hopefully I will catch up tomorrow.

Goodbye J

Waiting for you I feel like a thirsty tree that lives 5 foot from the river. So close and yet so far. Yes, you never asked me to wait but, my dear foolish, I have been waiting for you anyway.

Waiting for you to cross that line that eventually became a noose, and that I put myself around my neck, not knowing when or why.

Waiting for you is like watching the china fall from the cupboard during an eartqueake, crashing on the floor one after another. And yet you never made any promises.

Waiting for you is like waiting for the sea to dry so I can walk to the other shore because Im afraid to swim.

I'm buried too deep into the sand already my dear, I can't wait any longer.

So here's the key to unlock the chains than bound yourself to me. Chains I made out of an amalgam of love and fear and hope.

You wore the chains, but you were always free, and I was always the prisoner.

Goodbye J

The sea inside

I watched the movie The Sea inside last night. What a beautiful piece of work from Alejandro Amenabar. Im so glad that even after working with big hollywood names such as Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman ( He directed her in The Others ), Amenabar can still manage to keep such an indie film taste to his movies. Also, it was an amazing performance for Javier Bardem, its incredible how convincing he is portraying the main character.

The story in The Sea Inside (which is by the way, based in a true story) is truly touching, at least it was for me. What is the worst prison a man can have? his own body. Ramón wants the get the legal right to take his own life, after 28 years of living as a quadraplegic, after an accident while he was diving into the sea's shallow waters. At first, I was optimistical and thinking to myself "hey man, life is worth living, no matter what" and all that crap.

But by the end of the movie I ended up sympathizing with his reasons. It was his choice. "Life is a right, not an obligation" - he said.

In many ways he was still free from his prison. He could still use his mind to jump out his window and fly to the sea he loved so much: "The sea gave me my life and it also took it away".

After finishing the movie I ended up rethinking my question. So what is the worst prison a man can have? his own mind. You might not be able to change your body, but there's no excuse to not changing your mind.

Day two: John's Revenge

damn Im so tired. John (my trainer) has really pushed me beyond what I thought I could do. I was doing this series of squats, using only the bar (which is 45 pounds), did 12, and I was tired. Then, he added 50 pounds more!!! making it 95!! and I was like "are you out of your mind or what?". Surprisingly for me, I could finish the series, but I was nearly dead by the end. Felt dizzy. Had to lean on some machine to get my breath again. I was looking at John with my cow-in-the-slaughterhouse eyes hoping he would say "ok we're done for the day", and instead he asked me to do 12 more!!

Seriously John, you're a son of a bitch... however, I managed to complete it!! to my complete surprise. I love this guy.

I met David for the first time today, he was doing the same routines as me. This is gonna be cool, to have this support.

note to myself: I need to make sure to eat something a few hours before the gym, cause I was feeling so hungry during the routines and my energy dropped.

Gym log

Did mostly chest and trcieps. flat bench press: 2x12 75 pounds, inclined bench press: 2x12 65 pounds. Don't remember the rest, but once I have my routine Im gonna post it.

Yet another new beginning...

This weekend was a big start. I signed up for the gym, two year membership, after being brainwashed by the sales guy, who did a great job telling me how much the WANT me to keep goign to the gym. Yeah, for the money I have to pay every month anybody would want me there, but it's not that bad. Plenty of things to do there and guys to watch =oD

John, my trainer, is a tall black guy, very handsome and very funny, pretty laid back, which is perfect for me, oh and did I say MERCILESS?... I started doing some weights saturday morning, and he put me through some serious strain. Im typing this on sunday night and I can hardly move my arms. It hurts and I know is gonna be worse tomorrow.

I feel good though, cause it means a lot to be able to make such commitment, and I feel this time I have the right circumstances on my side. My friend Dave is also going to that gym, he also trains with John and we have pretty much the same objectives. That should help me keep the rhythm.

Im gonna try to post my routine here once I hve it figured out with John, as I plan to use this as a way to keep track of everything I do.

photon: The broken man

Don't look back. Just light that cigarette, have a smoke and relax. It's over now, luck is going to change for us, I promise, this is all it takes. A puff of the cigarette and I keep driving, trying not to look at the rear view mirror, where the fog brought by the dawn swallows up the road to the past behind us. But still, there, in the mirror, as soon as I refocus, I can't help seeing the broken man staring right back at me...

Trailer galore and X-Men rocks!!

Yikes! not only one but TWO amazing trailers when I went to see X-Men: The last stand this past weekend. A new, 4th trailer for Superman Return's and a really cool one for Ghost Rider, which surprised me cause last thing Ive heard was that the movie wouldn't be released until probably a couple years from today.

I'm excited to see that the super hero movie has become much of a trend these days, HOWEVER, as it has already happened, there's been some really crappy interpretations that made really awful movies.... ( Catwoman or Fantastic Four anyone? NO thanks) But, there's always the good ones! the X-Men trilogy was fantastic in my opinion, even though Im totally biased cause I love the subject, I think it really brought the characters to life, their struggle of being different and even feared by people, making a very-smart-for-a-movie comparison to real-life problems like discrimination and segregation.

I'm gonna miss waiting for a new X-Men movie, but I'm sure after the economic success of the movie we'll see a new spin-off series in the horizon (well, Wolverine and Magneto movies are already in the works).

uh?

I sketched this on a napkin out of boredom during a meeting here at work... we talking about designs for some give-away items... I thought this would do a great t-shirt... I would be fired next of course lol

Third Superman Returns trailer!!

This trailer is awesome, much better than the second one, I'm so excited and yes Im TOTALLY biased lol so whaaaaat!!? it's Sooperman flying around with John William's score in the background!!

Olallo Rubio

Chequen los podcasts de Olallo, donde denuncia la prostitución de los medios de comunicación por el gobierno y pinta la situación política de México como lo que es: una farsa.

:: PODCASTS R&R ::

Yay! new Julieta Venegas!!



Many of her fans were saying that she sold herself by becoming mainstream pop but you know waht? I like her, she looks great and her music is so much lighter and happier! but she keeps using her signature accordion and strange voice range at her best, so what the hell, I don't care if she dropped that look of Wednesday from The Addams Family that she had for years, her music is still very much her own.

I do love the design for the teaser poster from "The Omen"... I don't have high expectations from this remake, starting with c'mon, Julia Stiles as the mother? please! maybe if it was a remake of "little women" ("666 little women"? lol) , but seeing Mia Farrow on the cast gives me a light of hope (cause she's creepy just by herself, but not as much as her ex-husband is heh heh)

YAY! new "Superman Returns" trailer!!

Apple - Trailers - Superman Returns

It looks like Supes is doing his costume shopping in Saks Fifth Avenue though... but still! Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor looks great! and I think he keeps the same sarcastic sense of humour from the original 'Superman' movie.

Only thinkg I don't like much is Lois Lane, she looks too much of a sweetie pie, and you know, Lois Lane is supposed to be more bitchy than cutey. Besides, she has a kid! and it's not Superman's!! c'mon, real life (ok that was weird... I meant "comics' real life") Lois Lane would NEVER give up her career as a succesful news reporter to have a baby!! well... maybe out of infatuation cause Superman left her... anyway, it looks good! I can't wait to see it on IMAX...

New idea for a tattoo... probably will change the devil's tail for a scorpion's sting (since it resembles one), and work more on the wings.. anyway, it's just a sketch, but I like the idea, it's been floating on my mind for years, I think it's the subject I've drawn the most in my life...

Murder at the food court

Chicane's new single

"You're stoned in love but not with me" (click to hear Chicane's new single "stoned in love")

photon: faces of love

All faces of love I know are always familiar faces. Family, friends.

I'm so curious to see a face of love which I don't know.

Photon: De tu ausencia

Que dulce fastidio es no tenerte y que suave es la piel del vacio cuando lo acaricio en las noches en que como siempre no estás, en que como siempre ni siquiera te fuiste porque nunca llegaste y sabes? la verdad es que te extrañaría más si estuvieras aqui, porque terminé engañándote con tu ausencia, que se puso tus pantalones y tus camisas y se parece tanto a ti! tantas noches y tantos dias pasamos juntos, que ya no se estar sin ella. Te extrañaría tanto si vinieras y con tu llegada a tu ausencia te llevaras... no me hagas elegir, hombre, por Dios, que tienes todas las de perder...

Photon: Love is a band-aid

Love is like a band-aid. For it to have any meaning there needs to be a wound. That explains why love mends everything.

Photon: Candyman

your words feed me like a placebo, like the truth I'll never know is really a lie... dizzy mind and twisted heart in that fleshy wrap of yours, your sheep skin that keeps your wolverine ways, and your vampire teeth, and your Mary Magdalene tears, sweet liar, sweet candyman, I hear your music down the street, with the sunset on the background, running to you like children to ice cream

Soundtrack para mi dia de San Valentin

"He renunciado a ti" de Jose Jose, y pasen el tequila!!

He renunciado a ti, definitivamente,
he renunciado a ti, y esta vez para siempre.
te habras fijado que no te busco,
que pasa el tiempo y no voy por tu casa.
Que no me ves por los sitios que pasas.
he renunciado a ti, he renunciado a ti

porque es pura fantasia nuestro amor,
ilusiones que se forjan con el tiempo.
porque es tanta la distancia entre los dos,
que es dificil que podamos entendernos

He renunciado a ti, como lo hace el mendigo
ante el juguete caro que llevaria a su hijo,
como las aves a las estrellas,
como renuncia a ser flor lo que es hierba,
y cualquier hombre a volver a ser niño
he renunciado a ti, he renunciado a ti...

porque es pura fantasia nuestro amor,
ilusiones que se forjan con el tiempo.
porque es tanta la distancia entre los dos,
que es dificil que podamos entendernos

Photon: it's all about perspective

For a drop of rain, the act of falling from heaven, it is all.
It's the immensity getting closer every second, its the wind in your face hurting your eyes, it's the unknown approaching, is destiny fulfilled, is absolute, complete self-abandon and sacrifice. It's ultimate love...

For the dry earth, a raindrop falling into it it is only a minor distraction, its only a cold sting that lasts only half the time it takes to forget about it. It's a short hiss of a tiny soul that becomes absorbed into the infinite. It is absurdness. It is foolishness. It is nothing...

For me, it's all about perspective...

Foolish thief, you dared to steal the knife only to trip and get yourself stabbed. It's stuck in your lungs, making every breathe unbearable, cutting deeper into you each passing second.

Wheezing... I feel pity for you, thief, cause what you steal you cannot keep, and it only ends up killing you and killing what cherishes you most, in the name of what? of love ? your madness is like that of a painter who desperately seeks that one shade of red he has never been able to see in his art.

Better embrace the pain, cause those words of heaven you wish to hear will not be spoken from those lips you drank from, and even before your agony is over, the knife, cleansed from your blood, will be back on it's sheath where it belongs...

Photon: nice 'but'

Im sorry, what did you say? I've been distracted by your but all night. No really! don't blush, don't try to cover your but, I can see it no matter where you move within that chair that suddenly seems so small for you.

Yes, honestly! it's been bothering my mind all night... it's right there, on your face, I can see your thoughts: "BUT he this... BUT he that... BUT he's too...".

Too bad baby, we're not getting anywhere if you don't move your but out of the way...

Photon: Llueves

Llueves todo el dia y toda la noche, te filtras por las tablas del techo, encuentras tu camino hacia mi cama y goteas sobre mi frente, impaciente, al ritmo de las estrellas, dibujando lágrimas de mentiras en mis ojos

Photon: Purple Roses

Semillas de rabia que alguna vez cayeron en mi huerto por accidente, se arraigaron de mi carne y florecieron iracundas rosas purpuras que rasgaron su camino hacia mi corazon

Photon: The company of doves

How easy it is for you to go to sleep in the company of doves, letting me here bleeding on the floor, listening to the bells of pain over and over after you crawled out of the window with blood still in your guilty tongue

How easy it is for you to drink from my self, saving always a little bit in the bottom of the bottle for another day when you get thirsty again