IT IS NEVER APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT A TRAGEDY IS DESERVED.

I fully understand there are differences in our philosophies, religions and faiths, but your beliefs are never NEVER NEVER an excuse to blame others for the terrible suffering that has befallen them through no control of their own. To blame a group of people for an action, whether you say its Devil Worship or Being Mean to your Pal The Dahli Lama, that they perhaps did not even support or participate in and then say that because of said action, God, Karma, The Universe has punished them, is to open yourself up for extreme scrutiny…  Apparently the two of you are perfect. I am sure that if God/Nature/Karma or whoever you want to believe is in control played by those rules, there would be not a building left standing on the planet.

By the rules of both of these beliefs, you are called to Love and bring Peace..

Pat: Let God speak for himself, I am sure he can….

Sharon: I doubt the DL is calling you a close friend anymore..

Most of them seem to hold the belief that the media was mainly meant to convey the kind of daily prattle you might text to a small group of buddies now and then. “Going to be at Townie Bar tonight, who wants to come by and meet me?” , “Hoodies are on sale at the Old Navy on Main Street..” – that sort of thing. To be honest, I am rather exclusive when it comes to letting people know where I am and inviting people to join me out or keep tabs on me and though I play with the GPS apps on my iphone alot, I am pretty sure that I don’t want to be the story that will be on the news soon about the chick who tweeted all her where abouts and was stalked and killed by a follower… That having been said, I do play Foursquare, a game where you check in everywhere you go and earn badges or become the Mayor of said places.. but I always check in after I have already left the location, as a stalker prevention method. So back to these Twitter Snobs.. I wonder… Are there sets of people using twitter completely differently.. and is there a right way and a wrong way, as they propose? I, of course, like everyone else am annoyed by the spammers who DM you about getting more followers or buying some herbal drink from Trump Enterprises.. LOL.. but I doubt those tweeple are real people anyway…

A friend recently commented that my making a facebook fan page for myself made him feel like facebook was turning into MySpace.. of course this friend is a kid just out of college and we all know that they remember the days when facebook was simply a “we went or are going to the same school” dating service… (come on, you know its true). The founder has been very smart in realizing the tool allows for business connections to be made in a non-invasive manner and the powerful matrix allows content to rise quickly from obscurity to super fame in under a day through “sharing”.Think about Susan Boyles.. right now some sort of Metal Rooster is trending on popular videos.. it really is a marketing tool, whether you like it or not.. anytime over a billion consumers GIVE someone their data willingly, the founder would be a fool not to use that information to his best advantage. So sorry facebook snobs, but the media is too big NOT to be a marketing machine at this point.. it just wouldn’t make sense..

On the side of keeping in exclusive, I created my fan page because my friends page is shared mainly with people I have met in person and at 197 of those, I am still rather careful. I know there are others who have thousands of “friends” on their facebooks and you know that they simply add anyone and everyone… but you won’t find me snobbing on them.. they are using it to their purpose and not mine.

As for MySpace.. I think it’s main failing was in the lack of ease of use. Alot of people criticized it for a lot of other reasons, but it simply was not easy to use, add to and it was hardly mashable, even now, if you have a wordpress or other blog system, you are hard pressed to get your myspace to integrate.. where as twitter and facebook to a degree are mashable in a hundred ways with ease..

I am rambling here… but let me know what you think. How do you use “Social Media” and what are your pet peeves about how others use it?

Like most people, James Cameron’s apparent arrogance makes me not want to like the film although I will fully admit (unlike a lot of people) that I did and have watched TITANIC quite a few times and did enjoy it and of course Terminator in their respective genre’s quite a lot. Cameron is a huge talent, NO DOUBT, but his areas of weakness get the most talk in the avid film going and loving community despite everything he does right. I am a little guilty of this myself having twittered recently about why he doesn’t work more closely with another powerhouse writer to fill in story holes and dialog that sometimes doesn’t sparkle and falls flat or just comes across silly in moments when the film is perfect in every other way, but in-spite of any of those small and overlook-able shortcomings..

This film makes use of new and profound technology the way The Matrix made use of the “Bullet-Time” effect. The story depended on the success of the technology, but the neither over shadowed the other. Avatar takes place in a futuristic world where humans are seeking alternative means of survival, one of their plans includes Pandora, a lush planet inhabited by tall blue cat-like people called Na’vi who live in a giant tree that happens to grow right over a very rich supply of a wonder mineral called (and don’t laugh) Unobtainium (one of my beefs with the film was this name… but no matter), in any case, you have the classic clash of military and diplomacy – tree huggers vs corporate greed… that lays the foundation for the story you actually are more interested in, which is the Na’vi themselves…

Chosen because his genius twin brother died, our main character and certifiable hotty, Jake Sully, a crippled former military warrior (played by Sam Worthington, who seems to have a faint aussie accent at times) is called upon to step into an AVATAR (giant Na’vi body made just for his brother to connect with) and go with the research team into the Na’vi village to earn their trust through the usual handing out of treats and offering of education etc… The lovely part of this set up is that Jake has no use of his legs, but his mind still has the training and knowledge on how to survive, fight and defend and so when he is dropped into the AVATAR his lack of scientific training is no match for his brute military self allowing him to use his new found freedom in a more amusing, fun and instinctive way. (he is US in the film..) learning as we do about everything and asking the questions we are wondering about.. a fish out of water and yet more useful in the long run than the actual trained scientists who accompany him in their respective AVATARs (Sigourney Weaver and Joel Moore) When he gets separated from the group in the middle of the Na’vi territory he is saved by a beautiful Na’vi female who doesn’t have much use for the guy at first, but soon learns to like him even knowing he is what they call a “dreamwalker” a human in Na’vi drag basically… I don’t want to give away too much, but let me just say – bottom line -

It is a love story… but don’t worry GUYS, there is enough action and stuff blowing up to keep you interested as well.

The film is LUSH, Beautiful and Intricate.. very inventive and yet classic at the same time. The AVATARs are SO spot on with the actors playing them underneath whatever process allows the transformation that you can even see the frame of the teeth, jaw, eye movement that matches so perfectly with the familiar movements of that actor, this is most noteable with Sigourney because we are so familiar with her face and the way she moves…

I read somewhere that Cameron said that this technology could allow Clint Eastwood to make the next Dirty Harry movie looking just like he did when he made the first one if they wanted to do that, that is how powerful the process is… I can only imagine how it will be used in film to come and more importantly in gaming, which is the bigger market right now..

I give the film 5 stars, two thumbs up and 98% tomatoes.

DO, if you have 3D or IMAX in your area, make the effort to see it there. It is definitely an experience..

Aside from the name of the mineral.. a few things that I would have changed..
1) the head military guy, Col. Miles – (played by Stephen Lang) was cartoonish in a bad way and his flying around in his big ship sipping on coffee while killing people made the scenes less intense for me..

2) the love scene.. why introduce the TAIL connecting thing if you weren’t going to use it there.. kissing? Does the entire universe kiss? That was kinda lame because another species would most likely not know what kissing was or have any use for it.

3) you said that their technology wouldnt work near the tree of souls and they never seemed to have ANY issues with it during that fight scene.. so that was a let down, i didnt see that figure in there…

4) some of the dialogue was very silly at moments when you didn’t really want it to feel that way.. but over all, it served the story..

READ THE ENTIRE SYNOPSIS HERE:

Number One! You DO want to visit this place if you are in California for any reason and you enjoy an honest-to-goodness burger! (no tofu, chemical meat or pre-frozen stuff here!) everything they make is created from fresh ingredients and prepared in a glass side kitchen for you to watch. I love seeing them cut the fries, actually! :p

Number Two! Expect a wait… In N Out is extremely popular and whether you go inside or brave the drive thru, (some locations have two drive thru lines and there is still a huge line at both) you will wait a while. The upside is that the staff is always cheerful and professional and in order to accommodate the long lines, they have added “car hop” style order takers, who walk to your car, even if you are the 10th one in line and your tail end is blocking the intersection! As you can see, even Janice Dickinson cannot resist a burger (even if she doesn’t keep it down- ahem).

Number Three! The menu is simple, see here:

and delicious, I might add… but there are unwritten options you might want to think about before you go, so you can order like a local.

Here are some options that you won’t find on the menu:

The Three-b-Meat Burger has Three patties and NO cheese. It is true that you can ask for as many patties as you want.. (please don’t tell me you go more than four, I don’t want to know!) Not sure why people wouldn’t want cheese… but there you are…

My favorite secret option is The “Animal Style” Burger is has a Mustard-cooked beef patty (whatever that means) more pickles and extra sauce/dressing with grilled onions piled on top. It is just something you have to experience to understand… (note, you can also get FRIES Animal Style!)

The 2×4 Burger is just that, a “2×4? burger with two beef patties, four slices of cheese and anything else you want to add. I have heard that you can also order a “4×2? or a “3×3″ or many other sizes if you want to get creative! Perhaps if you are a lumberjack, the 2×4 makes perfect sense for you!

AND remember the Atkins Diet? Now the South Beach for more conservative dieters… well, for those BUNless burger eaters, they offer “The Flying Dutchman” which is basically just two beef patties and 2 slices of cheese.. the less serious version of this is called “Protein Style” and you can get any burger this way, it means they take off the BUNS and use Lettuce to wrap it up.. You can have all the toppings, onions, etc..

Some other options are a basic Grilled Cheese, pretty much the burger without the meat.. good option for kids and people who don’t eat ze meat! (Vegans, you can also get “Veggie Style” which will mean that you will have all the veggies with no cheese or meat in a bun, so when your Carnivore friends ask you to join them at In N Out.. know, you have choices!)

The SHAKES are amazing, but remember that you can combine any of the flavors, they have Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla… ask to have it “Swirled” or “Blended” from any or all of the three flavors. YUM!

An odd thing you can get is “Lemon-Up” or “Tea-Up” which is 7-up mixed with Tea or Lemonade, as you might have guessed. Refreshing in the summer and a change of pace from Coke or for those who cannot have too much Caffeine.

One thing that is important to remember about In N Out, is that they will make the food into anything you want. So once you learn the ingredients they have on site, you can ask them to concoct your special creation and they will do it, if you are specific enough.

Start out with the Classic Double-Double, Fries and a Shake before you get too adventurous though, being a purest never hurt anyone!

There are rumors of a 20×20 patty burger they make, but I have been afraid to google it because I actually might see one and the thought of it makes me dizzy. Too much of a good thing… ummm YEA!

A little known fact about In N Out is that on the rim of the bottom of every drink cup is a very small “John 3:16″ – check it out next time you visit a location… even in Vegas!

Check out their website at http://www.innout.com/

IN AND OUT, IN AND OUT, THAT’S WHAT A HAM-BURGERS. ALL ABOUT!

Great! Now I have that jingle stuck in my head!

One of my friends was staying at The U.S. Grant, so I popped over to join him for lunch at the GG Lounge, which was absolutely adorable with a mixture of old world grandeur and modern flair. I especially loved the lighting. I had Caesar Salad and a glass of Rose’ and it was delish followed by a yummy cappuccino with plenty of foam.

The hotel is rather pricey, but it is gorgeous! Huge chandeliers in the lobby and a plethora of lush seating make it a charming space to spend time in if you happen to have to wait for someone who is perpetually late, like my friend DJ, who kept me waiting while he shopped at the Louis Vuitton store across the street!

After lunch, I took a peek at the guest rooms and learned that they all feature original artwork, large bathrooms and duvets – not that I saw them all, but I asked. Duvets are a must must must anywhere I sleep, by the way… Anyway, the rooms were luxurious and well appointed.. well worth the high price tag.

but I wasn’t staying there, so after lunch I headed over to meet my other pal where we were staying, The Ivy! Another really cool hotel with a total eclectic and modern décor and a signature scent known as Ebony… no, you cannot buy it.. (as the kind’ve rude concierge let me know) The lobby features Viao laptops for guests and modern- almost too modern recliners (you feel a little like you are a the dentists office, LOL) but they do have some super hot bars, one with over 300 wines by the glass, this feat is achieved using the new wine station technology that is all the rage at wine stores.

YUM! A nightclub that is open from Thur-Sat. I didnt get to go to that sadly, it looked pretty fun though.. very “look at me” kinda place, so if you are in San Diego and want to dress up and show off, ENVY might be a good place to hang out…

If you are more like me these days though, you want to have a cocktail and chill on sofas with friends while taking in a view, so that is what we did at the IVY ROOF TOP -

It has a modern firepit.. lots of comfortable seating, couches, divans, and of course heat lamps over large outdoor beds.. my friends and I bogarted a bed with a great view and hung out with some wine and talked under the stars, it was a nice relaxing time and I recommend it to those of you who dont like to have to scream over pounding techno to be heard by your friends (well, not all the time anyway) – During the day the rooftop has a great dipping pool (3 feet all around) with cabanas and lots of poshness.. if you are at leisure, it has a great view of the city and the marina… lay around, get tan in the most perfect weather on the planet and the best thing, they have pool side bar service by a great staff.. say hi to Nick! This location is really is worth a look even if you are not staying at The Ivy..

As for the rooms and the stay.. I am of two opinions.. it is really unique and fun… Sexy views, loft style with lots of woods and glass.. a unique ambiance, very modern and edgy. At the same time, the room I had was a little oddly laid out.. as cute as it was, I kept running into this glass panel that separated the sink area and the bedroom because there was an odd angle to the way the door was in relation to the panel and the bed.. it was like you had to make a sharp turn to get in – the shower had a limited sort of shower head and you had to reach in through a glass cut out to turn it on with out getting wet.. as adorable as it is, if you are into functionality and convenienceversus sexy and design heavy, you wouldnt like this location for a stay.. however, if you are looking for a place to impress a lover.. perhaps this is the one :LOL..

The restaurant in the hotel is called The Quarter Kitchen and carries over the modern style of the hotel in a much more functional style with very comfortable chairs – everything is rather square and low – allowing lots of light and a good view across the room. I had the Turkey Club and Truffle Fries (TRUFFLE FRIES I SAID! YUMMMMY – here is a recipe for Truffle French Fries in-case you want to make me some!) quite a lovely little place and if you have a seat by the window, you can watch the city activity which I love, a bit slow on service, but the server was very cute… so I forgave him.

The hotel does provide an Escalade to drive you here and there, which my friend and I made good use of to get down to Seaport Village where we enjoyed a walk along the marina and some coffee and cookies from a little cookie shop, I have been to the seaport before and recommend the Harbor House for yummy dinner and a pretty view or Busters for something more sports barish.. wings and a beer. We were flirted with by the Irish horse carriage driver and spent some time just enjoying the view. A nice place to relax, shop, hang out.. etc…

Now the best time of all was at one of my favorite places to eat when I have the funds or someone to treat me (which was the case this time) NOBU! I have eaten in the NoBu’s in Malibu, Beverly Hills, Hawaii and Las Vegas – my dream (one of many) is to eat at the one in Japan. Some things to try when you want to be WOWed:

• NoBu Ceviche Tacos

• Yellowfin Tuna With Spicy Miso Chips

• Yellow Tail Sashimi with Jalapeno

Some locations have this Kobe thing that you sizzle on the rock.. totally yummy…

I love it with Conundrum, a light blend of white varietals that are crisp and a tad sweet…

I was just thinking today about how you can work very hard to get somewhere you never wanted to be… a place in life that really doesn’t suit you.. although you are successfully placed… you are not fulfilled…

Maybe this is what Mary meant when she thought about returning to her former Gothic Girl Self… I don’t know.. I often think lately about the me that would spend days at a time building sets, finding props and casting parts, writing scripts and shooting scenes.. hours on my knees with all sorts of electronics, wires and mics, cameras, vcrs, tvs hooked together into a menagerie of editing and dubbing equipment that I would use to assemble a film that perhaps only a few people would ever see.

why did i go from not understanding the word impossible.. to accepting the probable as fact? I am sure some would say this is called growing up, but when i was a kid.. well, a 13-23 year old, there was nothing but film-making.. nothing but plays, scripts, films.. writing, shooting, stomping off the set when my cast wouldn’t stop laughing during serious takes… this was life… living for the next reason to shout “Action!”

Now I get paid for creatives that help other people sell money to people who want to invest in property and have the American Dream.. it is nothing to be ashamed of… i am a home owner myself… it’s a good business and i am glad to do well at something still so fundamentally creative.. but it doesn’t fill that hole in my heart… it doesn’t feel the way the story does.. coming out of me, onto paper.. onto celluloid.. onto youtube?

There is a basic argument here. I was in an investment seminar recently.. talking stocks and bonds and 401k retirement funds… and it hit me.. i am on this road.. to a safe and plotted life.. work hard, save money, build equity, buy an investment property, get married, have kids, get old.. etc… granted, i support my family, eat very finely, drink even better and party well… a girl has to have some fun… but still… will i ever have a better shot at returning to myself… is the time coming to make the change?

the other road is un-sure.. no steady income, no guaranteed security… can you even pay your mortgage and buy way too many pairs of designer shoes (current count about 200)
and the real question.. can i have both?

I am willing to try…. i want my passion back.. i want to fall in love again… i want the thrill of the story back in my blood, i want to chase that perfect plot line and do more than dream about that Oscar…

Ok.. I talked me into it… ACTION!

RE-POSTED from TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2008