10 Movies to Watch

Merry Christmas readers! :D (IE no one). With the break, I've been revisiting quite a few of my favorite movies, and thought that there just has to be some people miss but really should watch. I'm also consitently JWD's 10 things you should know about blogs on Teamliquid. Anyway, on to the list:

10 Movies you should know about:
1. Shawshank Redemption. - If you haven't watched it, watch it. My absolute favorite. It's so uplifting and inspiring, but it's also directed well with great dialog and top-notch acting.

2. Pulp Fiction. - Amazing directing. Unique Style. Quentin Tarantino. Absolutely love it. It's also epic, and has so many memorable lines.

3. Schindler's List. - Beautiful movie. It's inspiring to see just how selfless people can be, even during the toughest of times.

4. Thank You for Smoking. - I love this movie. It's hilarious, it's quirky, and it really knows how to argue. Watch it for the laughs or the unique style, either way, it's a joy.

5. American Psycho. - A great analysis of human behavior and motives. The main character is so... deranged, yet he seems to represent something in all of us. Great movie either way. Christian Bale's acting is also spectacular in this.

6. Der Untergang/Downfall. - Presents a very interesting perspective of Hitler and the situation of the Germans on the last days of WWII. Acting is spectacular and so is screenplay. Watch.

7. The Pianist. - Spectacular movie. I loved the whole tone of it. I remember just being drawn into the movie when I watched it. Hmmm, it seems that World War II makes very good movies. Or I'm just a drama junkie; either way this movie is amazing.

8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. - Great movie. Amazing music. I'm such a huge Ennio Morricone fan, and I absolutely love the acting by all three main characters. And hey, who doesn't love Clint Eastwood being a badass?

9. 5cm Per Second. - GORGEOUS art! (Just look at the cover!) Cute story as well which really touches on the realities of life. Watch in 1080p/blu-ray if you can.

10. Departures. - Topping off the list, here's an international film talking about the struggles of a man between his job, his needs, his talents, and his society. Touching film.

Enjoy! :)

Fiasco

noun (plural fiascos)

• a thing that is a complete failure, especially in a ludicrous or humiliating way:
  
  
  Yes, this is exactly what happened tonight. It was an utter fiasco for me. I humiliated myself with my damn arrogance at our Mock Trial invitational. Why did I have to be so stupid? I remember a quote saying arrogance is for those who earned it. I haven't earned anything. My arrogance was for my idiocy.
  
  
  I mean, we could have won that first scrimmage if I just acted more professional, if I just practiced more, if I reviewed my questions more. But I didn't. Why couldn't I be like Breck with their spectacular professionalism and precise and accurate questions? It's because I'm a fiasco when it comes to this. I always say I'll work like crazy, and I never do. >_< Having questions isn't enough. Having an opening isn't enough. Memorizing isn't enough. I need to just repeatedly hammer at this. Then I'll fix it, and I'll improve. I must improve at Mock Trial. From now on, no arrogance until I get to nationals. We have the team this year, I just need to be better. And I will be. No more stupid me, time for me to actually be smart. =/

Procrastination

Time just seems to tick away in the face of starcraft.

A furious swarm of continuous images, and an hour goes by. What can I say? There are few things more mystical than time. Starcraft just happens to be one of them.

Friday Routine

Wake up feeling tired. Snooze another 10 minutes.
Eat breakfast. Enjoy the warmth I gain from hot soup and toasty bread.
Ride a bus. 20 minute power nap.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Get to school. Go upstairs. See my friends. Chit chat about nothing. This is the best part.
Go to Physics. Do APUSH. Take some notes. Almost fall asleep. Take more notes. Rinse and Repeat.
Go to Calc. Finish APUSH. Play Smash.
Go to APUSH. BS a quiz. Go to Lunch. Go back and read The Metrosexual Guide to Style and put it in random APUSH classwork.
20 minutes to Mentor Site. Another power nap.
4 hours of work, learning, and curiosity.
Get snowed on while running for 10 minutes. Appreciate the romance in the wintry air. Marvel at the snowflakes. Reach out with a hand, a tongue, be intrigued. An inquisitive mind blocks out all discomforts.

Snow is pretty magical.

                                                    

Get on the bus. Place head against the shaking rail with a cold window. Wish some wishes as the mind drifts towards the unconscious.
Wake up! Wonder about location. See Providence Academy. Smile. Call parents. Get off bus. Walk to Wayzata High School again. Rejoice.
Go home. Snuggle tight in a blanket. Enjoy the cozy atmosphere.

Somewhere along the way:
Think about it.
Wish something would happen.
Stop it.
Forget about it.
Regret it.

Justification

Many people seem to ridicule the notion that Starcraft is a legitimate program to watch. They laugh at the idea that we would watch people play a VIDEO game. I can feel their scorn when I tell them I'm watching Starcraft. So, why is it that I watch it?

Well, to me, Starcraft is just like any other TV show to you. Be it Glee, Fringe, The Office, or Starcraft, they're all the same to me. We watch these shows to trigger an emotion, or a variety of emotions. Happiness, suspense, sympathetic sadness, etc.

In the same token, I watch Starcraft to watch competition unfold. You see, when two go at it, head to head, mano-a-mano, THAT'S when competition blossoms. Oh, and trust me, it blossoms. These players train for hours on end to become a maestro in the art of Starcraft. Everytime a fierce battle unfolds, it's like watching two virtuoso composers coming together to create a symphony of destruction with each one trying to out perform the other. The competition they create, the magic that happens, when their wills clash? It's simply unparalleled.

Oh, and another thing that's great about the Starcraft emotions? They're real. There's nothing between you and your opponent. It's simply a test of mastery and intelligence. When you compete, it's all on you; when you lose, YOU lose and no one else. That's why the competition is so real. That's also why people cry, be it in happiness or sadness. That's right, people cry about Starcraft. Don't believe me?

Jaedong after his first OSL win.

Nada after winning the OSL for his father.

Boxer after losing to his pupil and best fried Iloveoov

 And all that does is make Starcraft more pure. It's grounded on the dedication of its players. These players rejoice in the hands of victory and whittle away in the crushing palms of defeat. They don't need to act to display these emotions like our actors do, no, it's simply there.

That is why I love Starcraft. Because it's not just a game. Don't see it as one. Let go of your preconceived notions and see it as an art of competition. Then you'll see how beautiful this art can be.

Full-swing baby!

Yup, now I KNOW the school year is going full swing. I've tasted the agonies of failures (GRRR, PHYSICS), the pain of stupid mistakes (GAAAH, X^2), and the succulence of Kilkelly brownies (d(^_^)b GOOD!). My sleep schedule is already screwed up, and I've already been studying like crazy for history tests. Life finally seems to be getting back to normal.
Isn't it weird though? To think that my normalcy coexists with school. Hmm, maybe it's because all these new ideas are just so INTRIGUING! I mean, learning about centripetal force (despite my failures) and the derivative of inverse trigonometric functions are just fascinating. Calculus is fun! :) It just takes one simple concept to discover a new range of ideas. Applying the chain rule to create implicit differentiation is just awesome. xD The proofs uncovered from this rule allows for so many different possibilities.

Of course, I also miss Starcraft. Maybe I'll write a tribute sometime to tell just how mind-blowingly awesome that game is despite all the negative stereotypes associated with it. I mean, I miss the challenge of that game. I sucked, but I loved it. The feeling of executing a strategy well, winning through theoretical game ideas, and of outmacroing the other guy, god those were great times. I miss iccup. I didn't even know anyone on there, but the competition drives me. That's what I love about Starcraft, you never run out of competition. It hones the competitive spirit, and it lets you deal with failure so you can push onwards. It's too bad that my skills have probably fallen drastically due to no practice. I doubt I can even execute a 3 hatch muta vs Terran just against a computer anymore. T_T sigh... Man, I can't even watch Proleague despite it starting up. I just HAD to miss that epic matchup of SKT vs KT. And now I SC2 is coming in to replace Broodwar? I call bullshit. That's like saying checkers can replace chess. Never going to happen. W/es, I'll just be crazy then, and get back to SC:BW whenever I can.

Luckily, MEA break is coming up soon. Maybe I can finally get away from all this normalcy. After all, eccentricity is nice too. ^_^

Words of choice

I am but a tyro of vocabulary words with an iota of knowledge. I approach the PSAT without a shred of hubris, even doubting my cerebral abilities. I dread the chagrin I face as I mark down egregious answers. I wish for a felicitous experience instead of a hapless one. I wish I were less discomfited by even the simplest vocabulary words. Nonetheless, my extant, studious spirit shall not be enervated. I will not rescind from this challenge; instead, I am galvanized by it. I am no longer desultory or dilatory in my study habits. No, I have become efficient. Watch as I stupefy the world as I become a juggernaut of vocabulary with my intemperate study habits. My meliorism shall be ineffable. You can juxtapose me with any pedantic pontificate and I shall still seem a pedagogic behemoth, a leviathan. I don't mean to vaunt like a turgid upstart. I'm simply trying to be auspicious despite my doubts. It's alright, you don't have to brook this. I will now curtail this activity and say, adieu.