Pan's Labyrinth

Hey everyone I just got back from seeing Pan's Labyrinth.

Wow.. what a powerful movie, it's totally not what I expected. It's violent and beautiful, the harshness of reality during the Spanish War against the beauty of Ofilia's fantasy world is so intresting. Even the fairytale world is dark and disturbing. There is one scene in particular that just thinking about it gives me chills. The only complaint if you can call it that is having to remove your eyes from the beautiful fantasy world while reading the subtitles and just so everyone knows this is not a children's movie. If this movie is playing in your area, it's a must see. I went into this movie thinking it was going to be this "dark" fairytale but it's so much more.

Re-vamped my Website

I decided to re-vamp my website. I haven't really made many changes the past year and I wanted to give it a new look. Check it out.. www.geocities.com/dathon1 and let me know what you think.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day started with a phone call from my mom asking me to bring over some parmesan cheese. Well we were up so we got ready and drove over to my Mom's for a spaghetti lunch and to open presents. Ever since we got Daisy I haven't really enjoyed Christmas at Mom's. Both my mom and grandmother have dogs. Mom's dog Josie is smart and knows that Daisy doesn't like other dogs and hides when we are over there. But Grandma's dog Baby doesn't quite get it. And constantly badgers Daisy over and over again until Daisy snaps at her. I have to play referee all day and never really get to enjoy the time with my Mom and Chuck. Baby has to be put on a leash to prevent him from bothering Daisy. Well the Grandma talks outloud to no one in particular that Baby doesn't like a leash and how horrible and unfriendly our dog is. She was getting on my last nerve so I was happy that we eat lunch quickly, opened gifts and headed out ahead of schedule.

We headed over to my Dad's were we opened gifts and had a very delicious Christmas Dinner with Turkey, potatoes, corn, stuffing, and rolls. It was a great time with Harry, Dad, Mike, Lora and Daisy. We left there place around 8 or so and headed home. It was nice to be home.. after all the driving I did the day before about 350 miles and the driving I did today I was tired. Harry and I relaxed on the couch and watched TV until we were tired. Christmas day started out a bit rocky but ended very nicely.

Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve Harry and I went to my cousin Renee's house up in Hidden Hills. The day started in an hour drive totally in the opposite direction to pick up my Dad. Then back to our place to drop off the dog and then fifteen minutes to my cousin’s place. It was a lot of fun. We have only known these people for a short amount of time but they have taken us into their family and their hearts like we have been a part of them forever. Renee made a wonderful dinner and we sat around and talked and played games before opening gifts. We had to leave early because we still had to drive Dad back home. Harry and I normally open our gifts for each other on Christmas Eve but when we got home it was past midnight so typically we opened our gifts on Christmas morning. We had a good time opening gifts that we knew about and some that we had no idea about. All in all a great night of joy and laughter with family.

My Last Day of Work

Well today is my last day working on Curl Girls. It's been a rough month trying to complete six episodes. I was still working on paperwork as they came and took my seat, desk and computer away. Even though I'm done I still have a few things to do to wrap up. I'll be working on a few things the next few days. I hope to take a month off to relax and enjoy some time with Harry since I barely saw him this past month. Of course if something comes up I won't decline a job..and I'll be looking for work but I wouldn't mind some time off.

Christmas Shopping

YAY!!!! We are finally done Christmas Shopping. Harry and I went out and picked up a few final presents. Can't wait for Christmas Day.

Another Visit with my "little" Brother

For this visit I was going to try to take him to the Zoo for the second time but it was raining so we decided to go to the movies. We went to see Happy Feet. We got about 2/3's the way through it and he turned to me and said he wanted to go. I could tell he was getting bored. I told him if he could wait ten mintues and it would be over, well a few minutes later he said he wasn't feeling good and wanted to go now. It was difficult for me because I was really enjoying the movie and wanted to finish it but I remember that I was there for my "little" and if wanted to leave then we leave. So I walked out of a movie for the first time in my life. Of course I take him home and give him his Christmas present and he instantly felt better and loved the gift. I got him a bunch of Pokemon cards. Anyways.. Happy Feet was a very cool movie and I look forward to seeing it again and finishing it this time.

Happy Birthday Chuck

Hey Everyone it's my Step Dad Chuck's birthday. Happy Birthday Chuck.

Work, Work, Work

Well nothing much going on. I've been working from 8am to 11pm all week. Only got one week left and six episodes to complete.

Proud to be a Browncoat!!

THIS IS WHY I LOVE THE CREATORS/STARS/EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH FIREFLY AND SERENITY....

There was a Firefly/Serenity Con called Flanvention II this past weekend. I was luckly enough to enjoy Flanvention I last years but this year wasn't able to get tickets. This is a small (500 only) con. Cost anywhere from $400 to $1200 for tickets. Well there was rumbling the last few weeks about it being cancelled due to financial problems, but they mangaged to find a loan and the con was on... well up till this past Thursday. The con starts on Friday and they offically cancelled the con Thursday afternoon. Well since the rumbleing began a few weeks ago the SoCal and NoCal Browncoat groups started to plan a back up plan for those who were left high and dry. Here is an article of what happend next.. it's an amazing story. I'm so proud to call myself a BROWNCOAT.

Why we love the Firefly/Serenity crew

Updated... See, last year a group called Booster Events held this massive Firefly/Serenity convention in California last year called "Flanvention." A lot of the cast shows up, there were panels and dinners and photo shoots and whatnot, membership was limited, and it was a lot of fun, a way for fans of the cancelled-too-soon show and because-we-demanded-it movie to talk to their favorite stars. This year's hotly anticipated event sold out months ago and it's happening this weekend, right now.

Or it would be. The organizers cancelled it. On Thursday.

There were some worries this would happen, after Nathan ("Mal") Fillion idly mentioned on his MySpace page a few weeks ago that he had yet to hear from the organizers about it. There was a brief outcry from fans, things were seemingly cleared up, all was shakily well. Then about two weeks ago the organizers announced the con might not go on due to financial difficulties. To the 500 people who paid hundreds of dollars for tickets (and, in some cases, thousands of dollars for lifetime memberships, since Booster Events does other cons throughout the year for other cult-favorite franchises) this was a huge slap in the face. Outraged fans made their voices heard before the organizers came back a few days later to say they got a loan and all was, again, well.

Then they cancelled it this week, after people around the world were already on their planes and in their cars and on their way. To say that the Firefly fan community (known as Browncoats) was staggered would be an understatement.

As stunned and betrayed fans began to arrive the California Browncoats jumped up to meet the frantic challenge of organizing a convention during, you know, the actual convention. Fans settled in to party among themselves anyway, mutter dark things about Booster Events, and make the best of it of the newly formed Browncoat Backup Bash.

Then the stars started showing up.

Adam "Jayne" Baldwin showed up Thursday night, knowing the con was cancelled and fans were left hanging. He hung around chatting with fans for hours and mentioned others would probably show up.

Friday Nathan "Mal" Fillion, Alan "Wash" Tudyk, Mark "Badger" Sheppard, Jonathan "Dead Guy From 'The Message'" Woodward, and Christina "Saffron" Hendricks came by for autographs and pictures and mainly just to say hi. Without appearance fees or the autograph cash that usually get stars to show up, they came anyway. Alan Tudyk wan't even supposed to be at the event due to prior commitments, and he came anyway. They knew their fans had been shafted and they stepped up to make it worthwhile. Fillion brought a box full of Firefly memorabilia and other personal loot and started passing it out to fans who had come from Australia, the UK and other far-off places

By Saturday morning the emergency organizers had received $4500 in PayPal donations from fans around the world who had donated to help out their less-fortunate compatriots. Multiverse, an MMORPG gaming platform company that announced last week they had the license to create a multi-player Firefly game, paid for buses to move the fans and crew to a secret, undisclosed location to convene in private. There were Q and As from various companies announcing new merchandise, a talk from Greg Edmondson (the man responsible for the music from the show), a musical performance from fan favorite group The Bedlam Bards, and appearances by many of the stars already mentioned plus Michael "Niska" Fairman, Ron "Book" Glass, and Morena "Inara" Baccarin, none of whom were originally scheduled. Even Michael Muhney from "Veronica Mars," who was supposed to run the charity auction planned for Sunday, showed up to hang.

Saturday night the whole mess moved to the new restaurant owned by Claire ("Glorificus" from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and her husband, which isn't due to open for another couple of weeks, and for a time this betrayed, ripped-off, and let-down group of fans who had come hoping to get a few autographs and a fleeting word were suddenly partying with the stars at the hottest secret nightspot in Hollywood. If they liked these actors before it's going to border on worship now, deservedly so.

Me, over the last few days I've cycled from "Wish I could go" to "Whew, glad I didn't go" to "Man! I wish I'd went!" Just shows you shouldn't underestimate a group of people defined by their ability to pull victory out of crushing defeat...

Another Christmas Party

This time we went to Chris and Mark's Game Night/Christmas Party. We use to attend the monthly game night every month for years.. but since we got the dog we have been visiting less and less. Both Harry and I really miss seeing everyone and playing games so we are making more of an effort to make as many of the monthly events. This was another fun game night... good friends and fun games, can't ask for me.

Bruce's Tree Trimming Party

Sunday afternoon Harry and I went over to our good friend Bruce's place. He has recently moved into this new apartment and was having a apartment warming/tree trimming party. His apartment was great, he found a great place in Hollywood at the reasonable price. The party was fun and we met a bunch of his great friends. It was a awesome way to start off the Christmas party season.

World AIDS Day

Around forty million people are living with HIV throughout the world - and that number increases in every region every day.

World AIDS Day, December 1 is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year it's up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice. But not only this year, this is an on going fight and will continue till a cure if found.

Remember those we have lost, love those who are still with us and help prevent this from happening to your loved ones.