Saturday, October 20, 2007

Craziest TTC Bus Ride

[This blog post contains mature language]

So it was raining after school today. I ran to the convenience store to get a phone card. I was soaked. The Chinese fella who owns the store was even laughing. He's cool though. He's missing half a finger (which is a face that Tim pointed out to me a few months ago). Then I waited for the 32 bus at the bus stop, since I didn't wanna walk home in the rain. I had student tickets anyway. Lots of kids were on the bus. Mainly high schoolers and some dude with a baby and his chick who had a sore tooth or something (she was holding a cloth to her cheek).
When we got to the Eglinton & Avenue intersection, the bus stopped to pick up more kids, and we all heard the lady shouting at someone, "GET OFF THE BUS! GET OFF THE BUS!". I chuckled. Poor kid, whoever got shouted at.
Then we moved along on a joyful ride. When we got to Eglinton & Chaplin (the stop just before mine), the bus turned RIGHT. Now, usually, you'd expect the bus to keep going straight, so we were all wondering what was going on, and people were complaining. Some of them sounded like they were getting off at my stop too. So the toothache girl was like, "Stop the bus so people can get off!". But the driver lady wasn't listening. People were freaking out. Most of us even got up thinking she'd stop soon so we can get off, but NADA. She kept going. I was cool though, because...well...because I'm just cool like that.
Then she turned a few roads left. We all heard that she's taking a detour for some reason. Lots of people were yelling for her to stop, and making fun of her. "LET US OFF! OPEN THE DOOR!" Some girls I was sitting with were joking, "We're being kidnapped!" and "We should sing a song. The wheels on the bus go round and round..." I found that funny XD Then the guy with a kid was trying to shout at the driver, though she couldn't hear him because we were in the back. "Stop bitch, so we can get off!" Then one of the dudes sitting in the back with us, woke up. He was a tired-looking Asian with a baseball cap. And this one guy was trying to get his attention to tell him that we're taking a detour. I think the sleepy Asian guy was confused. He didn't really say anything. I chuckled XD
Then we turned left on Bathurst Street. Bathurst intersects Eglinton, so we knew we were going west again once we hit Eglinton. Then the driver was complaining, "Please calm down, I can't drive when you're making noise." And right then, people made a lot of noise to irritate her. XD that was funny. When we hit Eglinton, we saw a police car blocking the lane going east.
Most of us got off when the bus stopped right on Eglinton. One of the last things I heard when I got off was, "12-year-olds shouldn't be allowed on the bus anymore." Whoever said that looked 13.
So I got off, and I turned around to look at how many people got off, and I heard this guy saying, "Watch it, stupid nigger." And this black chick was behind me, repulsed. I was like, "What the hell? What was that about?" and she was like, "I have no idea. I can't wait to get home and tell my mother what just happened. First, a crazy bus ride, then this dude. I just KNOW he wasn't talking about me." and I was like, "I know he wasn't talking about ME!" and then this white dude came walking next to us. "You should call and complain to the TTC. You can do that. What happened?" and she told him, " Well, some guy just called ME and my HOMEBOY here, a nigger."
Yes, I think that was the first time I'd ever heard someone being so openly racist to someone. It's crazy.
Anyway, it went something like that. Then we all walked towards our humble abodes. On my way home, a lady standing on the sidewalk told us that a bus driver had fallen asleep on the wheel and had hit a post, about 45 minutes ago. I saw the TTC bus whose front was wrecked, and the lamp post it hit. There were cops and firefighters on the scene, people watching, and others taking pictures. I decided to take a few with my phone. When I walked by, I asked a firefighter if the bus driver really fell asleep on the wheel and he said that they were still trying to figure out what happened. I wondered if that lady was just talking XD

So yeah, that was my crazy day, shared with high schoolers, crazy yelling people, bus drivers and racists.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Beatles + Wu-tang

While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George Harrison


The Heart Gently Weeps - Wu-tang Clan ft. John Frusciante, Dhani Harrison & Erykah Badu


...In a historic collaboration, Dhani Harrison, son of George, through his friendship with the RZA, played guitar on the song and he himself helped secure the REUSE LICENSE. Also appearing on the song are John Frusciante, guitar player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Erykah Badu singing the chorus. It will be the first single and video from the forthcoming album '8 Diagrams' in stores December 4.
- www.stereogum.com

Friday, October 12, 2007

Deftones Have A Blog!

Chi, Frank, Chino, Abe & Stephen

So I was taking a break from writing/being bored and I thought I'd check up on the 'tones and this is what I found.

Yes! The Deftones have a blog. It's called "Deftones In Studio"!!

http://deftonesinstudio.blogspot.com/

Chi's post is funny XD definitely putting them in my list of links.


(picture updated 7:48pm)

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Words and Stuff

So today, Stephanie and I went to watch Into The Wild. First we went and got food at Subway, then we went to the theater, smuggling all the food and drinks, and Stephanie grabbed an Into The Wild poster.
It was a good movie. I liked the story (based on a true story). It was pretty captivating. There were funny parts too which was good. And Emile Hirsch was naked in one shot. *nudge nudge, Steph* then at the end I got teary. Because it's so sad... ='( but then I started chuckling because I saw a woman in front of me wiping her eyes solemnly. And my chuckling made Stephanie laugh. I really didn't mean to ruin that moment XD but I quickly went back to being teary again because I am considerate and I have feelings and it was sad.
Anyway, then on our way out of the theater, I grabbed a poster too. While we were walking, we were bummed out that we didn't bring our cameras because we passed by these interesting-looking places (not to mention 'weird people') and we felt the urge to take pictures.

Stephanie: Look at that! You should've brought your camera!
Kevin: Yeah! I should've brought it! Why didn't I bring it? AHH! You should have brought yours too! And it's smaller.
Stephanie: I know..! But I forgot..


I don't know why, probably because we're crazy artistic film students who like cameras and we like documenting things. We are so cool. We really are. So then we caught the subway to Yonge and Eglinton and Stephanie had to buy "rope and eyeliner". Yes. Hmm. But then we only found eyeliner. And in the shop I was smelling these ADIDAS perfumes (one was for women, I didn't know until I saw it was pink and said 'Women'). They smelled pretty good. I can still smell a bit of it on the back of my hand. I smell sexy.
Then we went outside and it was pretty hot. And ever since we got out of the movie, we kept having these moments where we'd say, "Let's go to Alaska..."

Kevin: Where should we go?
Stephanie: We should go to Alaska.


Nope, we decided to go to Eglinton Park. On the way there, a yellow ladybug landed on Stephanie's shoulder and she freaked out. I thought that was funny. Yes, I laughed. I laughed a lot. XD
But then we thought of getting food but we didn't get food because we carried no cash and just walked around this one block where there were lots and lots and lots of fallen leaves. (Yes, I realize that was a run-on sentence XD) The leaves were crunchy so it was fun to walk in them. We felt like raking peoples' yards, and thought it would make good money haha. And piling up the leaves would make it fun to jump in them.
Most of the houses we passed by had pumpkins outside their porch too. And we saw a greyish/brown squirrel which was crazy because almost all the squirrels here are black. Being a squirrel must be cool. Imagine all the crazy photos you can take if you were a squirrel. You can like, go really high up in a tree and take pictures of humans who are way down below! And you can take pictures of your squirrel friends too. Like expressive portraits! Be really up close to them - something humans can't do otherwise!
Then we stopped being squirrels, and finally arrived at Eglinton Park, where we saw this underground forest. Yes, an underground forest. It's a mystery. It's about 20 feet below the ground.
Yup, then we went and crossed the children's playground to the field where these guys were playing soccer. We sat on a lunch table and thought we'd supported the 'yellow team' because they had more black people. We like black people. But the teams really sucked. And we couldn't figure out what language the black guys were speaking.

Stephanie: What language is that? Zimbabwean?
Kevin: I don't know. *tries to make it out* ...Is it French?
Stephanie: HAHA no!?
Kevin: For real? I don't know...
Stephanie: Come on..! You should know these things!
Kevin: HAHAHA


Then we just sat there and talked about random things (like Into The Wild and places we've been to) and made fun of the soccer players. And at one point, Stephanie pulled out her rolled up poster of Into The Wild, out of her bag and it was smushed. It was alright though. And we had a discussion about who was better: Kanye West or 50 Cent, and who sold the most records. Bye-bye 50. But we liked 50 because of his song with Justin Timberlake, Ayo Technology. Stephanie had it on her iPod so we listened to it (and it got stuck in my head until now). Then the battery died. I'm not sure if that was a good or bad thing... Oh and we tried to remember Dustin Hoffman's name because he's in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. And Stephanie said I should watch it. We went through movies he's in and the whole alphabet to remember what letter his name started with.

Stephanie: He's in 'Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium'!
Kevin: HAHA yeah I know who you're talking about.
Stephanie: And 'Meet the Fockers'.
Kevin: Yeah! He's so old now...
Stephanie: I know. What other movies is he in?
Kevin: Ishtar? And...ahh we just watched a movie with him in it in class!
Stephanie: He's in 'Rain Man'! With Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise and...hmm..
Kevin: Oh yeah! That's the movie we watched in class. Tom Cruise and...
Stephanie: OH! Wait, I had it..
Kevin: HAHA that sucks. Thanks, now this is gonna bother me the rest of the day.
Stephanie: AHH what's his name??

..........

Kevin: Hmm...I think it starts with an 'S'. Sean? Umm..
Stephanie: Cedric?
Kevin: That's a 'C'. HAHA
Stephanie: Oh yeah, it is a 'C'... I think it starts with a 'B'...

Took us a while until Stephanie got it. Dustin Hoffman!

Then we had about 45 minutes to spare until Stephanie had to go to work-o. So we walked, choosing a random block, and Stephanie was holding her poster and accidentally bumped it into a pole which made it worse. Then we stopped by RBC bank so Steph could get cash, then we went to Tim Horton's and she bought us both Iced Caps because...I don't know, because she is nice and it was hot out? (Why are you so nice, S-dub? Thanks. I so owe you.) So then we just sat in Tim Horton's and talked because it was cool inside. Outside was hot. Inside was nice.

Then Stephanie went to work and I went home. Cool day yo!

Now I shall face yet another week of school. I have a writeup to do for scriptwriting class and Google Talk just notified me that I got an email confirmation from my teacher to do it on Amelie. Sweet. I think she's an interesting hero/protagonist in the movie so I thought it would make it a fun and somewhat easy essay to work on. Let's see what my teacher said..

Hey Kevin,

Yes, that is fine. Amelie is a very good film. Not a problem at all.

All the best,

Chris


Cool. The assignment's due Friday, so don't forget to wish me luck if you're gonna post a comment.
Hmm...it actually reminds me of the essay I did last year on Man On Fire, in Film History where I had to...

Choose one contemporary film and discuss how it has been influenced by the cinematic movements we have studied in class (Silent Cinema, Soviet Montage, German Expressionism, Avant-Garde Impressionism, Film Noir, Italian Neorealism, Film Feminist Theory.). Please discuss the formal system and visual style of the film in detail as it relates to those influences.


Ironically, I saw that essay today as I was going through my drawer of pants, where I've kept my binders from last year. The essay I got a 10/10 on. Yes, an A+. Cuz I'm so good. So smart.. But go ahead and wish me luck anyway. I'm really not that full of myself XD

Monday, October 08, 2007

Crunchy Leaves

This is me at Eglinton Park last week.




Hmm it's cold out today..

Friday, October 05, 2007

Random Stuff

-My teacher liked my narrative. He didn't grade it or anything, he just made notes like:

Pro
  • I think you are sexy
  • Excellent concept with regards to the graffiti!
  • that is a very visual act and would be very interesting on film
  • I liked that the names of your characters were not conventional
  • your addition of the young Victor and the family life made the first page very interesting
  • your description of the city streets as they walk was very visual
  • I could see the locations you were writing about: very good!!!
  • your sentences and format are very well constructed
  • PRES2's past seems very interesting
  • consider this as your treatment! Good characters => held my interest!!!
Things to consider
  • how sexy I think I might be
  • wasn't entirely sure which article you were referencing => the train tracks?
  • you mentioned that you wish you had more pages to write: next time try to start with your climax and then brainstorm your story afterwards
  • your story seems to peak during act two and then finish
  • it would be good to have a proper conclusion so that we know what happens to ASON & PRES2
  • what are PRES2 and ASON's occupations
  • could PRES2 be from the 3rd article?

-I feel the breath of boredom on the back of my neck.

-I was watching Dexter (not Dexter's Lab) on tv-links and it would always pause for a few seconds or more before resuming again...that was irritating. It must've taken me an hour and a half to finish a 53-minute episode.

-Today I mailed in my application for renewing my student visa. I had to go get my picture taken for it too, which cost me $15. And it cost me $5 to mail it all in. How convenient for a broke ass, hmm?

-I wish I could get a job...I envy anyone who's got one. It's not cool depending on your parents all the time. Whoever made the law that says you can only work and get paid if you have a work permit, sucks. Big hairy balls. Tennis balls.

-Or if only I was attending a uni where I could work on campus and get paid...iono?

-I take pop tarts to school for lunch.

-Knocked Up is definitely the best comedy I've seen this year. Get the DVD, the bonus features are funny hilarious.

-I REALLY REALLY CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER!! AHHHHH!!

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Harbourfront

So I know I don't ever post anymore. I'm just so lazy. So here's a big post to make up for it. Please don't think any less of me anymore XD
Anyway, on Saturday, Stephanie and I hung out. We first had lunch at BK then went to Nathan Phillips Square to see if there was anything going on there. We both brought our cameras with us. And since mine is a little bit bigger than her's (she got a new one) she wuz like "I'm so jealous!" XD so silly. And while we were there, we saw some "creepy-looking people" and since Stephanie and her friend are having some kind of competition for taking pictures of weird people (yes they are pros at spotting them), she told me I should too. Yeah! She literally twisted my arm and forced me to take pictures of weird people! Okay, not really. But I concurred XP but I only took pics of this one guy.
Then we walked to Harbourfront. Here are a few pics and videos:



The little pond at Nathan Phillips Square (ice skating rink in the winter).



Yes, the creepy guy.

Like sitting ducks.

Someone's glasses.

Caught in the act.

The Kajama Schooner.

Boardwalk.



Stephanie, what was in your hand?

Umbrellas.

Someone's tag is "Yogurt"?

I thought this ad was funny.

Checking where we've been and how big the Waterfront Trail is.

A birdhouse.

Flowers.

Empire Sandy.

A little Asian kid playing around this sign.



Harbourfront Centre.