Blog:Danimatian

I am back in town. Ohio didn't kill me with it's boring landscapes. I didn't get to take many photos on the road, I mostly drove thru the night. I took some pics in Russellville Kentucky as I walked around during the day. Mostly stuff of houses and trees. For some reason, trees were intriguing me on that day. The houses are much different down there, you can tell that some people build their own and stuff. Up in Michigan in the suburbs, it seems there are about 5 designs of house and everyone has the same.
And then yesterday I didn't take pics because I was at an amusement park all day, Six Flags in Lousiville, KY. You don't really live life until you remember you can die at any moment. Being propelled on roller coasters reminds you that life is fragile and to live it up.

Ok the problem I thought was with the DAT recorder is actually a problem with my $500 shotgun microphone that somebody I let borrow must have DROPPED. This isn't the first thing. The $60 shock mount is also broken and they left my platform (made of untreated wood) outside during an entire Michigan winter.

New rule: No one borrows my stuff.

Something is wrong with the DAT recorder. This fucking sucks. I hope it's the XLR cables that are bad or the headphones and not the deck. I gotta run some tests on it tonight. I hope I have the Pre-Amp set wrong and it's over modulating because of user error. I hope I didn't just waste $999 dollars on something broken. This sucks. The excitement I felt unpacking my OWN DAT recorder was quickly diminished when I heard the crackling in the headphones.

# posted by Dan B. @ 5:28:00 PM

I belong in a shed, for I am a tool. I have got to be about the biggest unrequited lovestruck fool that ever walked the Earth.

The girl is like 10x worse than There's Something About Mary. There are about 100 guys double-crossing each other for her hand. I'm walking in at the 11th hour with just enough time to find out she just wants the ex-boyfriend to love her. (of course.) It would probably crush her to know that I pine for her so, as she's annoyed that every prospective friend is always trying to get to the next level. It only took the span of a bad Drew Barrymore movie to fall for her, and a week to step outside myself and realize it's not meant to be.

Without a chance in the world I feel about 5 inches tall now, which gives me about 4 1/2 inches over said ex-boyfriend. How can he not treat this girl right? To see her in anguish over someone that obviously doesn't deserve her is truly tragic.

She makes me feel like I just woke up on a summer day with the warm sun against my skin, eyes closed, and knowing that as soon as I open them, there isn't a thing I couldn't do, not a feeling I couldn't feel, not a place I couldn't go, not a dream I couldn't fulfill... If only I could awake in that sun with her flesh against mine and her hair in my face and her hand embracing mine.
Seriously, I would do anything for her. I would re-write every cheesy song ever written and make it apply to her. Her smile fucking melts away the ice, exposing parts of my soul I had long since forgotten about. Her laugh fulfills me, and let me tell you that when we are together it seems all we do is laugh. Just knowing I'm about to see her makes my stomach twist into a knot and my tongue follows right behind if I try to speak. She's got the most amazing presence you could ever beleive, and I just sit on the sidelines, watching the big game from the FriendZone.

I just feel like screaming at the top of my lungs "I would cherish you more than 1000 other guys combined, finding a new way each day to figure out yet another aspect of you to love."

I long to help her figure out every problem and make the most of every moment without ever looking back with a Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda thought in our minds.

But it is not to be. It's just me alone in the sunlight with the echoes of her laughter sweetly reverbing.

The winner of my ticket to Paul McCartney is:

(drum roll)

The Woman Who Gave Me Life

Yes, since my mother got me into the Beatles in the first place and she couldn't find anyone to go with her, I will give her my extra ticket. I really wanted to take Michelle since she was there when I first saw Paul McCartney (also the first time the clock rang 4:20 for me in the parking lot of the Silverdome before the show.)

So yeah. I'm a good kid. I'm taking my mommy out and paying for the $120 ticket, too. She is the one that bought the records that I used to play when I was a kid that made me fall in love with four boys from Liverpool.

I'm such a dork. I am teeter-tottering on whether or not to call someone. It's so hard to balance scale of
"I dig you and I want to talk" / "I'm annoying you by calling too much."

These butterflies in my stomach aren't helping either... It's been years since someone gave me butterflies so they are having a field day on my insides.

Is my phone lying? Did she just call? Why does it say it was 2 days ago if I just missed a call 10 minutes ago? My phone sometimes says I miss a call and then I call and the person was like "I didn't just call you." I think it's trying to make me look like a bigger dork. What the heck is going on with my mind? I can't even leave her a voicemail without sounding like I just learned English last week. I have got to be the most unsmooth guy in the world. ItWillFail isn't just a website, some days it's my life.

OK, I just went into the office of one of the administrators because we wrote her name as Camera operator on a slate as a joke. I go in and clap the "clapstick" and it flies out of my hand and smacks her water glass ALL OVER the papers on her desk. (Luckily missing all my new hire papers by about 2 inches LOL)

I'm gonna knock first next time.

Today isn't as much of a sleepy day as I had figured. It's a late night for me (8:45am - 9pm workday) because it's my night to do AGT dubs. When we make a commercial, we dub a copy for AGT and then they make the dubs that go all over the country to get aired. So the fax machine rings with a dub request and I stay late to get it done. Pretty exciting...

So I'm not tired like I should be, which is weird 'cause I'm on like 4 hours of sleep.. but I could fall apart in a few hour.. I've been running around a bit so that usually wakes me up.. sitting around always makes me tired..

I slept until 4pm today.

It was a direct result of going out too late and driving all the way to Butt Fuck Utica. But it's cool 'cause the girls that wanted us to take them there were OH SO CUTE. So it all works out in the end. We played skee-ball and Star Wars pod racers and even a little BattleTech. And we met a drunken pilot at 1am that was still drinking and raring to go PILOT a plane at 4am. Gotta love our military men, they keep us safe.

But now I will be sleepy all day at work tomorrow... thats a phat bag of no good.

Ok, forget the laptop. I have other purchases to make first.. Like AUDIO. I picked up this for $500 less than it normally sells for!!! SWWEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!

I paid $999.. I LOVE the internet.. no sales tax... this thing goes USED on ebay for $975-$1200 and I got it NEW for $999.

It's time to make some fucking movies. Where's my cast of thousands?

Allright!!!! Apple approved me for a $4100 loan @ 9.9 APR.

The question is how long should I do it for? It's dumb to pay a loan for 4 years on a computer that will be obsolete in 2.5 years. If I go longer than 3 years, before I'm done paying for it I'll want a newer one. Which is why I'km getting a laptop. In 3 years I'll get a phat desktop. I don't NEED a new desktop right now, my iMac G3 is obsolete, but still usable... I just want something better... and I wanna be able to take it with me wherever I go... and that titanium is soooo sexy. yum!

So we're gonna go with Option 2 for $4048. Might as well squeeze an extra 133 mHz, even tho mHz is a farce. The system bus is better, and for an extra $400, I might as well do it at 9.9 APR, it's almost free!

Ok, I've narrowed it down:
Option 1

Summary:
ï 550MHz PowerPC PowerBook G4 Titanium @ 100MHz
ï 1GB SDRAM - 2 SO DIMMs
ï 48GB Ultra ATA drive
ï AirPort Card
ï Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
ï APP for PowerBook - Enrollment Kit
ï Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X
ï DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo
ï 15.2 inch display, ATI Rage w/ 16MB of DDR RAM
Subtotal $3,697.00

Option 2

Summary:
ï 667MHz PowerPC PowerBook G4 Titanium @ 133MHz
ï 1GB SDRAM - 2 SO DIMMs
ï 48GB Ultra ATA drive
ï AirPort Card
ï Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
ï APP for PowerBook - Enrollment Kit
ï Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X
ï DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo
ï 15.2 inch display ATI Rage w/ 16MB of DDR RAM
Subtotal $4,048.00

Option 3

Summary:
ï 600MHz PowerPC G3 iBook - System bus @ 100MHz
ï 640MB SDRAM - 2 DIMMs
ï 30GB Ultra ATA drive
ï DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive
ï AirPort Card
ï Keyboard/Mac OS X - U.S. English
ï APP for iBook - Enrollment Kit
ï Mac OS X & Mac OS 9 installed
ï ATI Rage 128 Mobility w/ 8MB memory
ï 14.1-inch TFT XGA display
Subtotal $2,572.00

I am so nervous. I haven't done the big sit down with administration to do the paperwork yet. The butterflies in my stomach are pining for my lost childhood. I am playing with the Transformers I keep on my desk to remind me that I will always have the child in me. This post college job stuff really makes you feel different.

What am I even worried about? This is my DREAM job? I can shoot my own productions and edit them for free at work, with access to million dollar digital animation and effects equipment that is identical to Hollywood. (Contact was made with an identical Inferno system to what we have here.)

This is everything I've ever wanted, so why am I scared?

Mark Geralds is fucking hilarious...

here's the FMJ inspired desription he wrote for his blog:

This is my blog. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My Blog is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my Blog is useless. Without my Blog, I am useless.

Today it happens. When I'm done at Millenium Pictures at 5pm, I go over to Universal Images to sign a contract and become a salary employee... starting Monday. It's all coming together.

Now if only I could decide if I'm gonna go all out and blow $4000 on the PowerBook, or go light and get a pumped up $2000 iBook.
iBook G3= practical
PowerBook G4=AWE INSPIRING

I also need to decide if I'm gonna take my friend Michelle to see Paul McCartney. I should take my mom, she wanted to go but couldn't find anyone to go with. Then she said in passing that "you wouldn't want to go with your mom." Last time McCartney came, I went with Michelle. I made it quite clear then (at the age of 17) that I was not going to hang with my Mom. Well now I feel bad 'cause she got me into the Beatles in the first place. I think I'll take my mom, 'cause she gave me life and the Beatles. She deserves to go, and I think I'll float her for the $140 ticket.

I'm so glad these are my biggest problems. Life is good.

Oh man.. I just bought Paul McCartney tickets. I had SWEET seats but it was logged in as the receptionist I am filling in for. I didn't want to charge her card so I cancelled and re-submitted. now my seats are all the way back on the main floor, but damnit, I wanted those better seats. I should have just submitted it and handed her the money saying 'SORRY!!!!"

# posted by Dan B. @ 10:20:00 AM

I am officially ON STAFF at Universal Images starting next week!!!! Werkin' 9 to 5.. (ok.. sometimes 9pm if theres dubs to make...) New laptop, here I come!!!!! They tricked me.. this whole 90 days I've been working 10a-6pm, saying "you knew I'd never have a 9-5 job" but I do.. ah well. It's a sweet company so I don't mind compromising my sleep time.

I am on a bunny.

The Drugs in Trash on the baseball jersey, I could handle. I don't think I'm ready to be on a bunny.

Today is a mad house. Tavares went home sick yesterday 'cause she was throwing up. So all of yesterday, today, tomorrow and MONDAY I will be running the reception desk at UI. This is nuts.

To top it all off they are having a meeting RIGHT NOW discussing what happens with me now that my 90 days are up!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh

the tension is too much. I just want health insurance again.

The quickest way to spend $4000 at apple.com




ï Powerbook 667MHz PowerPC G4
ï 1GB SDRAM - 2 SO DIMMs
ï 48GB Ultra ATA drive
ï AirPort Card
ï Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
ï APP for PowerBook - Enrollment Kit
ï Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X
ï DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo
ï Ext. Firewire 160GB Maxtor Personal Storage 3000XT

See it in 3D- - Quicktime required.

I don't have anything on my mind to write about so I'm just gonna wing it this time.

The weekend was non-eventful , but that's a good thing, considering the debachery that's gone on in the past few weekends. It was relaxing and enlightening and all those other things a weekend should be. I went over to Bens to edit DanHasFailed, I am pleased with my cameras quality, although I wish I had those lights already when we shot Darryl, you can hardly see his face!!!

I've been running around showing people at work the video and everyone thinks it's hilarious.

Thursday is when I find out whether or not I REALLY fail.. (I'm not worried.. hence I spent $3500 last week!)

Dan Shall NOT fail!

Today I was at work listening to Radiohead perform at Madison Square Garden last summer. I listen to music as I enter data into the computer regarding which elements our facility used in post production. The CD was a gift from the gracious heart of Dr. Nightmare from the Bedlam Bridge BBS. The sounds from the small CD player beckoned Deb to the room I work in as to inquire about who was playing. I started talking about music with her. She described her Radiohead experiences as "mellow."
When I say "room I work in" I don't mean "my office." I am only in this room when I am not:
(a) running up or down 3 flights of stars to get something out of the tape library
(b) assisting an editor / digital animator / client / producer with any part of the post-production process
(c) hunting down the mobile bartender [editor's note: there really is a concierge with a mobile bar at UI]
(d) making duplications of video tapes
(e) running to our sister company, Millennium Pictures, in the next building over in a t-shirt in the dead of winter

So I had this music conversation in said room which has inspired me to make her a copy of the Radiohead discs. I'm in my sisters room burning the disc and I start to feel bad for taking her CDs to burn with when I remember:

I bought 200 and gave her 100.

Why do I feel bad for "stealing" something I paid for?

The Michigan Left

I had always wondered why we called boulevard U-turns a Michigan Left. If you go anywhere east of Ohio, West of Illinois, or south of Kentucky, they call it a U-Turn. the midwest calls it a Michigan Left. Why? I had always thought we were full of ourselves, but this is not the reason.

There is a history behind it all.



Who knew?