What's a Soapbox? Generally, a soapbox is a place where you’re free to talk about whatever you want, without any interruptions. You're now in my dimensional soapbox, so expect to hear a lot of rants. Any comments or questions on what I post here can be sent to my e-mail.
Read my Otis experience here: Otis Documentary
2/2/02: The First Week of a New Beginning
Ha, or so I wish. Well, it is true... I'm in a new semester at this god-forsaken school, but it doesn't change things too much. I still hate it, and I still wish that I could rid it of its evil corruption. Hell, I even went as far as starting a campaign that was aptly-titled "Anti-Sunny Hills High School." Funny ain't it? ::sighs:: So anyway, a lot has been going on since the last time I touched this site. Anime have been coming and going, people have been coming and going, school finals are finally rid of, and I got my driver's license. Wait, there's more: Anime Freak! Magazine, the online mag that my friend and I collaborate on, has finally gotten off to a steadier start once more. I suppose there was a New Year's resolution after all, and that was getting this mag back on track. We used to be able to update the thing every month on schedule, but these days, schoolwork and things happening in our social lives have been getting the better of us.
Sure, many of you can say that we're both "undedicated": to our work, but understand, this is a hobby that we do in our SPARE time (if we even get any). If it were a job involving pay, well then we'd be working on it day and night. Commercial sites are cool, but it's the independent sites that are the most unique in the World Wide Web. We are surrounded everyday in a sea of web pages that are waiting for us to find them. It's amazing to think how far the internet's come these days. I only hope it gets better, but not TOO good, or else all the other things in life become obsolete. We need a little history here and there, just not detailed history like the crap you find in textbooks. God, I hate THAT history. I was getting a "B" in my AP class before the final; now, it's at a "C." I had considered on several occasions to drop the class, but then my conscience kicked in and told me to "duke it out." Great. I do, in a way, regret the decision horribly, but alas, I'll just take it. As I've said to many other people, "I've survived half a year in this class, and I'll hold out for another."
Of course, staying means one final 15 page minimum research paper --- again. At least this time, we get to work with partners (optional), however, that means the minimum number of pages we have to have is 25. It's not too big a deal, because first of all, a good 10 or so pictures with annotations can be stuffed in there. The remaining 15 pages split between my partner and I will be composed of 1/3 fact, 1/3 B.S., and 1/3 interpretation. I think we have it all planned out. The shitty part about this whole ordeal is compiling the damn research "notes" to turn in every Thursday from this week forward. God I hate this class.
Aside from school torture, my anime life has been going pretty good. I've been on a shopping spree lately. I bought the Cowboy Bebop Perfect Sessions DVD box set that came with OST 1, the Ah! My Goddess Movie, the Ah! My Goddess Movie OST, the Serial Experiments Lain "Ominpresence in Wired" artbook, and the Ah! My Goddess Movie Belldandy 1/6 scale PVC statue. Yeah, I've been crazy about Ah! My Goddess lately. It brings about a certain sweetness that I also found in Tenchi Muyo!, although their storylines are completely different. I love original series, don't you? Pretty soon, I'll be hooked on NieA_7... just watch. I already read summaries online, and I'm desperate to watch. I've also heard and read good reviews on it --- haven't heard a bad review as of yet. What's holding me from buying the 4 DVD volume series is the fact that I KNOW Pioneer will release a box set within a year or a couple months.
And now, aside from the anime shopping spree, I've been wanting to watch Metropolis, which opened up 6 days ago. Yes, it's the highly anticipated Osamu Tezuka movie that many anime fans have been dying to watch. I've heard spectacular things about it, and everyone tells me that the backgrounds and artbook are drop-dead gorgeous!!! I'm searching for theaters out of desperation, but the only places that are showing the movie are all the way up in Los Angeles. I don't want to drive, but then again, if it's for the movie, why not? Now if only I could convince my mom to hand me the car...
Speaking of movies, I saw that Mandy Moore movie on Saturday with some friends (it was called "A Walk to Remember). Surprisingly, it wasn't half as bad as I expected, though it was still farfetched. I mean, where the hell are you going to find a guy as NICE as this Landon kid? Never. One in a million perhaps... the chances of finding that "perfect" someone is just as bad as hoping to win the damn lottery. Men like that are nonexistant in this corrupted wasteland we call a world.
But besides absurd movies, there's the comic club I'm in: it's dead. There's still members, but seriously, it's going nowhere as far as I'm concerned. I guess this is what happens when you get first-time club presidents. Supposedly, by the end of the year, we were going to have our comic anthologies published and placed for sale on the school campus. However, no one in this club puts any effort into the objective, except for me. Maybe I'm just too serious, but that's just the kind of person I am. Once I set my mind on something, I go all the way until the goal is met. But even I can wander off, especially if there are others who aren't as willing to do anything. If the majority of the members are too lazy to do this, then my efforts will pretty much go to waste since the comic won't happen then.
I actually don't even know what I'm saying 'cause I'm sort of ranting out of blind anger. There are so many things I wish would happen, but so far, nothing. Just nothing, end of story. And to tell the truth, I ought to be the president for this club, but I can't do that, after all, this is only my first year at this damn school, so I don't want to seem like some asshole to other people. I'm a leader only when it's necessary for me to be. The rest of the time, I just wait for that opportunity to strike. Though organization is in need right now for the club, I still can't do much about it 'cause I'm considered a rookie. I hate that word, and I hate being insulted about it. Though no one here calls me a rookie, it still pisses me off 'cause they seem to act like I am one.
The president of the club even tries to teach me how to draw! Excuse me, but this is my method! I don't go to your animation school or whatever... at least I learned to draw the way I do ON MY OWN. Anime/manga drawing wasn't taught to me... it was taught BY me two years ago. I've improved so much, and yet, I come this far to only be beaten down. I'm in a bad mood right now, and it's a Saturday. Originally, I was going to go see Osamu Tezuka's "Metropolis" at the Mann's Chinese Theater 6, but then decided not to go. I want to go with my friends, but they can't make it this week. Hopefully next week when it's one of the U.S. president's birthday. A three-day weekend is always nice for me, and I only hope we get more of those later in the year.