Archive for November, 2005
2005.11.30
Anime in Fortune Magazine
I was a little surprised to see Fortune Magazine taking a positive interest in anime. I’ve enjoyed anime (animation) and manga (comic books) from Japan since I was a kid watching G-Force, Star Blazers and Robotech. I’m glad to see it’s come a long way since then. I used to be the geek, now I’m the regular guy… I think hell froze over when I wrote that.
The article really seems to focus on ADV which I found interesting since I’m quite new to the scene. Now I’m working for one of the largest distributors and licensers of this Japanese Invasion, VIZ Media, I should get some perspective on who else is out there, what they are doing, and how it all fits together.
I’ve started a new category here on the site for things like this, plus random Japanese language lessons, observations and thoughts. It seems easier than trying to figure out where to put this particular story in the existing goliath framework.
No Comments | Catergorized: anime2005.11.28
Back From DC
National Building MuseumI’m back from my little vacation in the Washington, DC area. It was good to see my family and awesome to see Ann again. The picture is at the National Building Museum and shows the 75 foot columns inside in the gallery. It’s one of the few museums I’d never been to when I lived in DC. The outside is really not too remarkable, but when you walk inside you are met with this amazing view. It’s quite impressive. Now I understand why the Presidential inaugural ball is held there.
Ann and I also went off on our own around Dupont Circle, my old stomping grounds. It was strange to see how much and how little had changed. Gabriel’s was gone (where Jon E. and briefly myself) worked. Afterwards and Trio’s are still in place. The mansion next to where I used to live that my Mom almost bought is going to pot, but around the corner the mansion that had been boarded up for… well, for forever it seemed, is renovated and being used by the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. Very cool since I really hoped it would be used again someday.
Meanwhile it looks like there have been script updates and I have much email to catch up on. I was rather remiss in my writing (blogging and other stuff) while away. I will try to catch up.
No Comments | Catergorized: dc family life memories2005.11.23
New Frames On the Way
After much deliberation I finally ordered a new set of frames. I’ve been needing a new prescription for glasses anyways. What always holds me back, though, is the appalling selection most places have by way of frames.
Fortunately there is Eyeglasses Warehouse. They’ve got older style frames. I’ve been wanting a pair like I had in Prague, what I always understood to be workmen’s glasses. It turns out the style is called Windsor. Check out the examples.
The only drawback, if it can even be called a drawback, is that they don’t have an online store. In reality I liked calling and talking to a real person.
I am, for the first time in decades, looking forward to seeing an optometrist and getting me prescription filled! Photos will, obviously, be coming when I have them.
6 Comments | Catergorized: fashion life2005.11.22
Sony-BMG Update
Amongst all the crappy news coming from the Sony-BMG fiasco comes this ray of light. They are finally recalling the CDs from consumers. Go to this site and you can apparently get a new CD (or set of MP3s) without the XCP rootkit. About bloody time. I’m still not planning on supporting them, though, but that’s me.
2 Comments | Catergorized: audio grrr2005.11.21
Buttloads of Books
I went on a cleaning spree a while back. Like many of my cleaning sprees this one wasn’t completed. I got most of the way done but when it came to hitting and organizing my books I balked after one easy shelf. Today I hit the task again. I am 90% done.
I have just over 700 books on shelves ranging from science fiction and fantasy to physics reference books to history to Greek philosophy to old atlases and on and on and on. I am frankly shocked when I go through them at what I have. This number does not include the 100 plus books I have from my days at Sunset (we got a copy of each book as it was released, plus those on give away tables) nor the two boxes of outdated computer books (assembly language for 68K Macintosh anyone?). Pile on the many books that I know are missing or loaned out and that’s a buttload of books.
I will definitely have to go through and cull many of them. I have an abundant number of math books inherited from my Grandfather; I really only need one or two of them. Some of the science books are out of date. Some of the fiction plain sucked. Still I doubt I’ll be getting rid of even 100.
I’m a pack rat, what can I say. Even I amaze myself with it at times. Don’t even get me started with the movies I have…
No Comments | Catergorized: books family life2005.11.20
Memo to Myself RE: Santa Cruz
Next time I have to go to Santa Cruz I must remember that it is not an hour away on Highway One, but an hour and a half at best.
2 Comments | Catergorized: life2005.11.19
Sopapillas
I remember eating Sopapillas for dessert with my family when we’d go out to eat in Austin. Second, third and fourth grades. Funny how memory works. I still think about these things even though I haven’t had one since then.
3 Comments | Catergorized: austin memories thoughts2005.11.19
Distracted from Writing for Writing
I must apologize to you for not updating anything for a few days. I’ve been distracted with work, Japanese class, helping set up another OOKEE.com website (not launched yet), and most importantly writing a screenplay with NHK.
Naturally I’m not free to talk about the specifics of what we’re writing but let me just throw out this link which has some similarities to our theme. I read it and at first I was worried about their theme: a reality show that dupes people into thinking they’ve been sent out into space. Then I had to shake my head in wonderment that yes, indeed, they were going to find people just dumb enough to fall for the whole thing.
Anyways, I will have to pick up the pace if I want to achieve my goal of 365 posts this year. I’ve got 44 days to write 50 articles. Not impossible, but far enough away that I’ll have to focus.
No Comments | Catergorized: life writing2005.11.14
NaNoWriMo Speculative World Building
Though I found this a bit late to start this month, the exercises could be done at any time. Basically it is 30 individual exercises you can do day by day to help flesh out a world and start the world building process of speculative fiction. I would suggest starting this process next year during October and then taking the 31st off for some fun before NaNoWriMo starts up again…
No Comments | Catergorized: worldbuilding writing2005.11.12
Christmas Time in November
OK, when did it become alright to start putting out Christmas stuff right after Halloween? It is NOT alright, people. And by people I mean marketers. Annemone reports they are already putting up Christmas lights in Austin.
I don’t exactly blame the makers of candies and lights and crap because they listen to their marketers and the marketers of the world have somehow convinced them that they should do these stupid things to make more money. There is a special place in hell for marketers. I hear Satan has a special contest that the one who comes up with the best spin for making people want to be in hell gets a commemorative watch. Competition is strong.
Dear Marketers,
In the future please don’t allow your employer/client to start thinking about Christmas until after Thanksgiving Day.
Thank you,
-Douglas Nerad.
Of course I have as much chance of having this succeed as they have of winning the commemorative watch. Instead maybe we should start encouraging them to start promoting Valentine’s Day immediately after Christmas, and the Fourth of July right around Labor Day. Maybe this will annoy the right people, like the government, and they’ll put an end to this torture. Finally, government will be working for the people instead of themselves!
7 Comments | Catergorized: grrr thoughts
