Tech Support

It's been a hard day. I haven't felt very well. I'm not sick. But I am upset.

Don't really want to elaborate, but much of it has to do with ignorance and racism, and possibly on a deeper level, I feel a little on the outside right now.

There was one time, when I was in Russia. I had left the hotel and gone for a walk. I got a little lost. Then I found myself completely overwhelmed. I didn't know where I was, nothing was familiar. The signs were in Russian, the people, the language on the streets, the cars, everything was completely different from what I was familiar. When you travel overseas you realize that you are visiting a foreign country, but when you're lost on the streets in a foreign country, you suddenly truly realize just what that means. You're not in a foreign country. You are the foreigner, and you truly begin to understand what it means to be a stranger in a strange land.

Eventually I found my way back to the Hotel. But I remember vividly that feeling of being completely surrounded by everything that is completely unfamiliar. I started to feel that way today. Mainly because of certain events, certain perspectives, and people not fully understanding that: 1) I'm not white, and 2) Not everyone shares the same opinion and or point of view.

I don't talk to anyone about religion or politics or anything controversial, and I'm ok with whatever POV you want to express. Everyone has their own and they are entitled to it. But if it is hateful, if it demeans me, and attacks me, then it's not something that I will tolerate. I don't care how casual you talk to me. Do you really think I'm going to just stand there and be ok with what you are saying?

It's been a hard day.

It's Just an Illusion

I should be asleep. But I am not. Instead I'm contemplating fundraising, back up plans, the end of my various favorite TV shows, trolling the internet for remnants of my childhood.

 

I'm finally caught up on all of my shows. And when I say all of my shows I really just mean 3 of them. Watched the last few episodes of HOUSE all the way up through the season Finale. Of considerable note is that it was shot on the new Nikon DSLR. It was quite an episode, and afterwards it had me seriously contemplating buying a DSLR camera (whenever we get the funding that is.)

I've been dead set on the Canon HV40 for so long, then I find myself researching the Nikon, which brings me back down to a cheaper price, which means looking at 5D's, then lowering the price some more, which brings me to the new Olympus Pen. Realizing that the video quality is not up to my standards. Which brings me back round to the HV40.

So there's that.

 

Also caught up on SUPERNATURAL. Watched the season finale tonight. Very intense, and not too dissimilar to the style of a Monster Cops episode I've been working on. Supernatural has been dealing (and usually does deal) with very intense topics, with some fairly dramatic (and often depressing) emotional depth. Tonight they really turned the volume up on it. Doesn't help that there is so much of LOST that seems to cross over into SUPERNATURAL. Well, mainly the actor Mark Pellegrino, who plays Satan on Supernatural, also plays the mysterious Jacob on LOST.

Which of course brings me to LOST. The last episode "What They Died For" was yet another intense episode that aired this past Tuesday. The SERIES FINALE is this Sunday. And for many of us it is very much an EVENT. For 6 seasons we've been on this roller coaster ride of puzzles, drama, mysteries, and thrills, leaving us with many questions. And it's all about to come to an end.

LOST is somewhat controversial in that there are several people who have questions about the show, but don't seem to be getting any answers. I've even seen many people post about how they just hated this past season, as this was supposed to be where we get answers to many questions posed in previous seasons, and some folks don't seem to be getting those answers. Not only that, but they seem to be rather bored with this last and final season.

 

For me I'm the exact opposite. I've gotten a great deal of answers, AND I've found this to be one of the most intense and entertaining Seasons of Lost. I understand we all have different perspectives, but I'm just really blown away by how anybody can't find the entertainment as well as the enlightenment to some of Lost's greatest mysteries. I think a huge part of it is that you can't be a casual viewer. To some extent you kind of have to do your homework, re-watch episodes, re-live previous seasons. If you're as big a fan as I am, that's no chore. I take pleasure in it. For someone who loves TV as well as puzzles and mysteries, Lost is very much up my alley, and for me it has not disappointed me one bit.

And now we are coming to an end with it. And yes there are several questions still in play, and I am very much looking forward to seeing how Sunday's 2 and a half hour finale will (or won't) resolve those questions. Whether I get answers or not, I think my greatest concern are for the characters. As it should be with every show, in the end it really is about these characters that you've watched, loved, hated, yelled at, and cheered for, and have generally spent a great deal of time with. In the end I'm really just looking forward to seeing their resolution.

So of course this is all that has been on my mind as I was laying in bed. On top of the usual, moviemaking, Monster Cops, where is the money going to come from? Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Somehow all this had lead me to the movie FX. Maybe it's because it's one of my favorite and most influential movies from my childhood. But for some reason I really needed to hear the end theme from the movie. It's called "It's Just An Illusion" by IMAGINATION.

Maybe it's because the movie is about a moviemaker/special fx artist fighting a conspiracy. Maybe it's all the themes involved, Imagination, Illusion, FX. Don't know what it is, but I needed to hear this song. I needed help remembering that time. When I was younger and very much influenced by the magic and mysticism of the movies. When I was (and still am) in love with and fascinated with illusions.

On some level there is a true reality to an illusion. Much of it is based on the perception of those witnessing the trickery. When you watch a magic trick, you're looking for the secret, you want to know what the backstory is, like seeking out the solution to a puzzle. When you're sitting in the movie theater, the illusion is well known. It's no secret that the light is coming from the back of the theater, and that in reality, we are all just staring at a lighted wall.

The very definition of an illusion tells us that it is not real. Yet I say, that the illusion itself can be more influential and inspiring than the truth of it all. If we believe in it, like we believe that the light hitting a screen is telling us a story, then is it really a lie. What's false about believing in something, especially when that something affects you emotionally?

Imagination is more powerful than knowledge. I forget who says that.

And now I have no idea where I'm headed with this. Ok, time to head back to bed.

Monster Cops Vlog "Love Connection"

It's about to get a little rough now. We'll see how this week will end.

Actions Speak Louder

You are defined by what you do. Even the act of doing nothing defines you.

I think that's why I haven't really blogged. I feel more motivated to do something rather than talk about it. So nothing to really elaborate on.

Fundraising is underway at Kickstarter. And we've gotten some pledges in already.



Been working on re-writes for the new episodes, site updates, and vlogs like this one:



Working on more videos and vlogs. It's one of the only ways I know of to really reach out to the online community about our Kickstarter page. Before you know it 25 days will be up and we'll know whether or not we'll be able to make any episodes.

So please, if you can, pledge. You'll get rewards, you'll help make this dream of mine happen, and you'll help raise money for Cancer Charities.

Even if it's just for one dollar.

Thank you so much to everyone that have pledged so far. Helps me stay positive.

If you don't know what I'm trying to raise money for, please check out http://monstercops.com

If you like what you see, then please help us out.