...in more ways than one .

First, I am finally employed, again.  It's very part-time, and is a seasonal position (now until January), but I'm very, very happy to have it.  As to the where?  Well, if anyone wants a 25% off discount from Michael's.. you let me know .

Second, I'm done with other projects.  I had another website I was working on for a guy who was going to pay me to do it (very beneficial before I'd found a job), so that took priority.  Then I had to work on a slideshow for my oldest friend's wedding coming up, so I'm JUST now returning to my site redesign.  That's why it's been so quiet here... I'm really trying to focus any extra energy on that, so I can have it done as soon as possible.  So, what am I doing here?  Just wanted to say, "Hi" .

Landing this job, and with other things going on in life right now, has made me very happy - in a way I haven't been for quite a long time.  I'll talk more about all of this later (as I said, I'm trying to hold back on posts until launching the new site, so I'll probably have a big recap of the last month when I do), but things are looking up in really great ways (for me AND friends) - and it's darn exciting .

Oh, and if you're wondering what that top image is?  That's the current state of my new re-design.  So, no... don't hold your breath for it to be finished for a little while longer .

Inception
Time/place: 4:20 showing at Westminster 10 with Nick, Mike, Brian, and Justin

I'm keeping this one for me.  I may talk about it down the line, as I did with The Dark Knight, but I don't know that I will.  As I did with my minimalist review for Adam, there is something special and personal with this certain movie-watching experience that I want to hold for myself, so I only have 3 things to say:

Your mind IS the scene of the crime... and that has more meaning than you think.

Whatever you take out of this movie is what you brought into it.

Christopher Nolan knows how to make me smile.

Grade: A+ (and I can't mean that enough)

...still working on the redesign

...still occasionally struggling with the redesign

...still looking for a job

...still having a hard time focusing on the site without one

...still playing Red Dead Redemption

HOWEVER, in other news:

...now really working away on a Western screenplay I've been toying with for over a year

...now feeling that creative flow again, and hoping to concentrate on writing as best I can without a job

...now very interested in the recently announced DLC for Red Dead

And, as you've come to expect:

...always Mark Mushakian of markmushakian.com

Since I started this site o'mine, we've gone through a number of changes.  At first I wrote my blogs out manually, each on their own hand-coded HTML pages, with a forum for leaving comments.  Then I employed a commenting system to replace the forum.  I followed that with a switch to full-fledged blogging software, but the changes kept coming.  I've designed and redesigned my menus, altered how I address site news, tried new features that didn't last, and on and on.  Every change has been in the interest of improvement, though.  Change isn't always for the better, and sometimes these new ideas fell through, but I'm always interested in finding the best ways to do things around here.  Which brings us to today...

Due to some technical things I won't go into here (more for the sake of brevity than any type of secrecy), I'm looking to make a new change.  A BIG new change.  What kind of change?  Well, for starters, these "technical things" I'm referring to involve me switching to an entirely different blog system.  Fret not... posts won't be lost, all of your witty comments from the past will be transferred, but it's going to be alot of work for me.  While I'm at it, though, I'm going to make a fresh start.  This site has been running on (basically) its original design, but with the new things that I'll be able to now easily implement with my new blog software (the lovely Wordpress 3.0, for those curious), I'm interested in starting from the ground up.

I know what I'M after, in terms of what I'll be designing for (more social integration, Flickr and YouTube galleries, "prettier" design, more fun imagery, etc.), as well as new features that I'll be able to bring about better due to the new design (a podcast, regular media updates other than through my blog, having comments on Facebook copy over to this site, etc.), but since I'm not the only one who visits this site, I'd like to cast the questions your way.

ANY idea is appreciated (besides retracting my opinions on movies, Certain Someone), so I'd love to hear your thoughts!  I'm really interested in bringing more function and visual appeal to this place, but that doesn't mean that I haven't put alot of hard work into what it is right now... so go easy on harassing me for my current design.  Let's look to the future without mocking the past, shall we?

If it's ideas for layout, comments based on your screen resolution, color combinations that hurt your eyes (yes, I definitely take into account the common complaint of the white text/black background - that's a high priority, actually), interest in a certain type of content, or whatever - let me know in the comments!  Take a look at this site's current layout, see what information I'm trying to share (and realize that there is more coming), and let me know what you actually do or don't care about.  Get as detailed and picky as you like.. I can't consider changes if I don't hear about them .

P.S. - I may be disappearing for awhile as I work and test out my new system/design (along with hopefully working, playing Red Dead Redemption, and living life), so don't expect many more entries here until the new launch.  There is quite a bit of work to be done, and a plethora of new possibilities, so it'll take some time.

Toy Story 3
Time/place: 11:40 showing at Ocean Ranch 7

Fifteen years ago I went to see the first Toy Story movie with my family.  I was 12.  Today I saw the finale, and I tell ya, folks... Pixar couldn't have created a more fitting conclusion.

I enjoyed the first movie.  It was entertaining, but as I grew up and matured, so did Pixar.  The sequel continued to deal with the same issues of the first, and I was a cool teenager when that one came out, but still... "When Somebody Loved Me" got me weepy.  The inclusion of such a beautiful, sad, and haunting song was very reminiscent of one of the best "kids" movies made, one I was fortunate enough to grow up with - The Brave Little Toaster.  Basically, Pixar was improving their ability to portray the difficulties and triumphs of life in a way that was entertaining, funny, and heartbreaking all at once - just like life, itself.  With Toy Story 3, they have culminated all of their talent to covering one of my most cherished topics... growing up.

What really makes Pixar movies so amazing is that they don't speak down to kids.  They are a movie house that deals with reality, and the fact that life can be hard sometimes.  Their previous movie, Up, portrayed this in the first 10 minutes... with barely a dry eye in the house.  I'd heard that Toy Story 3 was reducing even the manliest men to blubbery messes, and it was no different in my theater.  During the last moments of the movie, I couldn't help it, myself.  You know that quivering breath you get when you're really crying?  Yep, that was me.  I shook my head, as tears were rolling down my face, at the fact that freaking Toy Story 3 had done this to me.  It wasn't just the ending, though.  The movie opens up by defining the themes in play immediately.

Oh, and a quick break to talk about the short they play before the feature.  It's stylistically fantastic, but, for as clever as it was, my interest kind of waned until it really explains itself near the end... then it became amazing .

I'd like to just talk about the movie, itself, but I really can't.  It's part of a trilogy.  As I said in the beginning, this is the perfect cap to the journey, and one that adds so much more to the previous movies.  That, in my opinion, is what makes a sequel (of any number) great - when it makes the movie before it even stronger.  I'll talk about details below, but beyond the nostalgia and emotion of the "growing up" theme, I thought the movie was great in other ways.  First, the freaking baby - one of my favorite animated characters ever .  It was really tragic and horrifying - but completely mesmerizing.  Haha, and, speaking of Baby... the Star Wars allusions continue in this movie, but I'll let you discover them on your own .  There is a scene in the movie that I really, really want to talk about, but I'll have to save it for the spoiler section below.. and if you've seen it, I think you'll know what I'm referring to.  All of this talk of emotional depth and sadness, though, doesn't make it seem like a very entertaining movie, but it is.  Pixar knows, very well, the greatest key to emotional movie-making: follow the sadness with a laugh.  Even through a tear-stained face, a laugh is the perfect release.  They brilliantly ended the tear-inducing ending with some fun scenes during the credits, but besides that - the movie was just plain hilarious.

There were character cameos throughout the entire movie, spanning the whole Toy Story series, and unlike some finale movies.. it always felt right.  The most immediate one that pops into my head had the entire theater laughing, including myself.  As garish as Ken might've come across to me in the ads, he really did provide some entertaining moments - much to my delight.  Another thing that really threw me off, when I first heard about this movie, was the inclusion of the character Slinky Dog.  His voice for the first two movies was the late Jim Varney, and I was a little disappointed to see him being replaced.  I realized, though, midway through the movie, that Slinky Dog was barely talking - and I could tell that it was on purpose, almost out of a respect to his original voice... I thought it was really endearing.  There were so many reasons to love this movie, though... a sweet little love story that blossomed, characters became buddies who never were before, the daycare telephone was a great character, and much more.

I'm sure you don't need my recommendation to see Toy Story 3.  If you're on the fence, though, let me give you this encouragement.  While the trailers don't show it, Pixar has brought to this story their ever increasing level of mature storytelling, so much so that this one is almost more for the 20-something year olds who grew up with the series than the little kids.  It's great fun for all ages, but the running themes will no doubt hit alot of folks rather hard.  Whether it's parents dealing with their children growing up, or young adults growing up themselves, there are a great many things to take away from this movie.  I came home wanting to give some of my old stuffed animals a hug - just in case .  So, to you, Pixar for a beautiful series ending that I wasn't expecting, and a wonderful tale about growing up - "Thanks, guys."

Grade: A+

Continue reading "Toy Story 3"

I haven't done much in the past few weeks/month/longer.  And, when I say "haven't done much" I mean that most of my time has been spent lounging around being unproductive in every way.  You might LIKE to think that it's due to my previous post and a certain video game, but it's not really.  There are extenuating factors, such as the seasonal allergies that have zonked me out and helped throw off my sleep schedule, however that really isn't the crux of it.  I've been without a job since January, and since then I've slowly been watching my funds dissipate.  I'm fully intent on pursuing acting (and I am... just shot for an ad agency Tuesday night), but I can't really devote money to it because I don't really have much to spare... so I have to wait.  I have some web projects I'm interested in... but I have to wait.  EVEN more than the waiting, though (this post feels like a matryoshka doll, geeze), it's that I have no responsibility.

Like a kid on summer vacation might become increasingly lazy, there really isn't anything I have to do - so I fell into a horrible (and very disliked, by myself) habit of sleeping in and staying up late, like summer vacation.  I've lounged around for days without shower or shave because I didn't have anywhere to go, like summer vacation.  The problem is that I'm not on a break from anything... I WANT something to do.  The worst part, is that I just can't muster up energy when I have nothing to do... it's a complete motivation killer.  My most creative times have always been while I'm in a job or school for this very reason.  I really need that structure and purpose, or else my days are listless, as they have been these past few weeks/month/longer.

Tuesday I had a job interview and went to do the commercial shoot.  Wednesday I had another interview.  I'm at a point where I'm just waiting on this ONE little detail, and then I can be free to do so many things!  Haha, it's really exciting, though... because as soon as it happens, like a bolt of lightning all of this energy is just going to shoot and I'll be at auditions in LA (gas money is keeping me local right now), doing this and that.  I was talking with a friend the other day, and I commented how so much of my life is waiting on two things.  For the long-term, it's meeting the right gal, but for this short-term, it's just finding a decent job.  I've talked about the many things I've held off on spending money on, but few may realize that I actually have a prioritized list.. well, at least part of it is.  Let's look at it, together!  It'll be fun!!  (Just humor me... I'm unemployed and listless, remember?)

1. Droid.  OMG, I know.. Mark's buying a cellular phone device??  Thaaaaaaat's right.  I've actually hit a point in life where it'll have some purpose, something I was never quite sure would happen.  I'm rather looking forward to it, though.

2. Wii.  Not for me, but for the family.  Still working on that relationship, as best I can.  Playing 4-person tennis in our living room should be a good step forward .  Boxing may not.

3. Dinner for Nick.  Lobsters and steak with diamonds and gold, my champion... it's the least I can do.

4. MarkMushakian.net.  Intent on taking over the Internet?  No... but very interested in having a one-stop place to send people I'm interested in auditioning for?  Yes.

5. Other acting stuff.  Paid casting sites, printed headshots, etc..

6. Savings.  When my car died in December, I had to borrow a hefty amount of change to fix it, so I'm going to be paying that off as quickly as I can... socking a pretty good amount away each month towards it.

And as far as numbered listing goes, that's it.  Really, though, the best part of having a semi-decent income again will be the freedom.  I have no idea when I'll land a job (though I'm really pulling for one of the places I interviewed at this week), so I'm not free to just buy things on a whim.  Yeah, I bought Red Dead Redemption, but there are some things worth the sacrifice - even when pinching pennies .

What else is on my list?  Do you care?  Haha, I probably wouldn't, either, but ya know what... I'm here, so why not?

• A small bag from Saddleback Leather Company.  I carry a pen and camera in my pockets, now, but adding a cell phone will just be too much to carry before I start looking like M.C. Hammer, so I'm looking for something to carry my camera, a sketchpad, and some other miscellaneous things.
• A pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes for my morning walks.
• Eyeglasses.  I'm getting old.
• Sunglasses, while we're at it.  For this and the prior, I'll be perusing Allyn Scura.
• Movies!  My goodness, movies.  I have barely purchased any new movies, nor have I been spending money at the theater, so I can't wait to start up again.
• Clothes.  As I talked about in my final style entry, it'll be wonderful.  Or, should I say, FAAAAbulous!
• Netflix.  Cheap, large catalogue, cheap.  I'm sold.
• Rock Band tracks.  Especially with the forthcoming Rock Band 3 and it's new guitars/piano, I'm looking forward to Queen, Oasis, and a plethora of other tracks I'm intending to buy.
• Calling cards.  Just my name on a card, so as to keep it multi-purposed... add on ".net" with a pen for passing out at auditions, email, phone numbers - whatever.
  

It may not seem like much, but perusing this list makes me happy.  It's a list of things yet to come, things that I'm really looking forward to but have yet to obtain.  Unlike the promise and excitement of a wife and kids (a recent evening babysitting really painted a beautiful image for me of an ideal future, too), these things are much more immediate and plausible.  Not that I can't have a family of my own, of course, but this is a simple list of items that only require money - of which I will hopefully have some soon .

So, how about you folks?  I know cash is tight all around, for various reasons, so do any of you have similar lists?  Even if it's not a list of goods, do you have your eye on any kind of specific prize that helps keep you a little motivated... even when you're not?

I was driving home this afternoon when I looked at my scruffy face in the mirror and it reminded me of something.  I took a picture:

Remind you of anything?  Let's try some cheap awesome Photoshop trickery to really sell it:

There we go.  They say couples grow to look like each other over time... I suppose it's true .