Some of you may remember my previous launch of my script site. Well, I've listened to your whini...err...feedback, and applied it where I could. I've added "back" buttons to every page, a script link earlier in the tour, a little bit of set up to the script intro page, the script opens in its own window, and the pdf is 30 pages of script instead of 7. Take another look and let me know of anything else that doesn't suit you, and be as critical as possible. Look for spelling errors, grammar errors, bad writing, etc. Click here to begin.

posted by Travis at 8:37 PM

|

Sunday, January 30, 2005

On Saturday we went to see The Aviator and Million Dollar Baby. After the Oscar nominations, I realized I had not seen a lot of the movies nominated, and we haven't been to the movies for a while. I thought both movies were really good. I'm not a DiCaprio fanboy or anything, but he's really good in The Aviator, and they don't skim over the insanity parts of the story like I feared they would. Million Dollar Baby is the Clint Eastwood movie in the news lately. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking you don't want to see a girl boxing movie. Well, neither did I. It isn't really about a girl boxing, it's about people. Just go see it. It's good. Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman have that old man friendship down pat now. They're great together.

Recently I got a new computer. I bought a Dell, which computer people aren't supposed to do. I used to build my own systems, and I just got tired of researching which is the best motherboard with what RAM and what processor. I pay extra for Dell to do all that for me. So, I got a 3.4 GHz with 1 GB of RAM and a 256 MB ATI Radeon X800 XT for the video. It rocks. I'm playing all my games at 1600x1200 at 60fps on a 20" flat panel LCD. I was an LCD critic, too, until I got one. All that crap about refresh rates and not being able to play games on them is just that...crap. The Dell 20" is great.

Another recent development is my support for iTunes. I was a Media Player holdout, but after using iTunes at work and at home for my music, I'm converted. You iTunes haters out there just need to try it. It's better. End of story. This DOES NOT mean I've gotten an iPod. I'm still not sure why I need to carry my entire CD collection around with me at all times, but I'm considering one if I can figure a better way to hook it to my car stereo besides RF modulators or tape adapters.

On the writing front, I'm going to write a spec Smallville episode. I've heard that you're supposed to have a one hour TV sample in your portfolio, so I figure I should have one. I may also write one for The Shield. My hesitancy is that this could, in some circles, qualify as "fan fiction"...the lowest form of writing. But something about writing scripts for shows in order to use them as writing samples elevates it. Agents, managers, and producers want to see that you can write for existing characters finding their voice while adding your own voice to an existing world. If nothing else it will be a good exercise and an excuse to write dialogue for Superman.

I suppose that is enough catch-up for now. If I forgot something, I'll just save it and post it tomorrow. I think guyinasuit being updated two days consecutively is a sign that the sixth seal has been broken, so watch for the sun to turn "black as sackcloth" in that event.

posted by Travis at 1:34 PM

|

Friday, January 14, 2005

We got out early today, so I went to see Appleseed with a guy from work. I asked Kim to go, but her response was, "Cartoon robots? I don't think so." The animation and graphics are really good, but I think Japanese anime storytelling is still lacking. Appleseed is based on a manga written by Masamune Shirow, who also wrote Ghost in the Shell. I'm not one of those anime guys, but I do try to see the big ones. What interested me about Appleseed, was that it is the first anime to use CGI and cel-shading to this extent. Cel-shading is a technique applied to a 3D computer graphic to make it look like a 2D drawing. The official site (linked above) has the American trailer, and you can get a sense of what I'm talking about. Anyway, it has some great action sequences, but some of the voice acting for the US dub and the storytelling disappointed me. It's definitely a step forward for animation, though. If you like Japanese anime or if you just like cartoon robots, you should check it out.


Last night we watched Shaun of the Dead, which is pretty funny. It's more comedy than horror, but there are some pretty brutal parts in it. I think I like 28 Days Later... and the remake of Dawn of the Dead better because they lean more towards horror. I love the opening of Dawn of the Dead. Shaun of the Dead is worth checking out, though, if you like dark comedy with zombies.

I'm not sure if we'll see Elektra this weekend or not. I kind of want to see it, but I could wait until DVD. If anyone sees it, post a comment about it below.

posted by Travis at 8:34 PM

|

Thursday, January 13, 2005

So, I promised pictures of the wet house, and here they are. The first two are from the room the dogs sleep in and represent two different walls. You can see in the second picture where I've removed some of the wood tiles to irrigate the water where I want it to go. You can also see a small portion of the 2000 lbs of sinks that I have scattered around my house. The last three pictures are of our bedroom. We used to have carpet running over all the wood. I've started removing it in the areas that were getting wet. Pictures four and five are with towels and without. These are just three of the locations where the house leaks. I can think of seven total. You can click them for bigger versions.

posted by Travis at 6:02 PM

|

Monday, January 10, 2005

I think we're defeated. The water just keeps coming and all we can do is rotate towels in the wet spots in shifts. Our dryer has been going nonstop for the past week. Today, I'm noticing that the water is affecting my mood. In my job I have to deal with broken technology and frustrated people. Both of these things require patience. When I got to work today after putting the new towels down, I realized I have zero patience. Zero. 0. Luckily, I'm pretty good at smiling through gritted teeth when I need to. And I need to...or I need to go home "sick" and stay there. Because, while my patience is bottoming out now, I'm sure that the management would have even less patience for me if I told an executive and their assistant to go fuck themselves.

I'll take some pictures tonight and post them tomorrow so you can all have a laugh at my expense.

posted by Travis at 1:41 PM

|

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Well, we're surviving the rain, although there have been casualties. It has gotten to the point now where if the carpet gets wet, I just cut that part of the carpet away. I think we're going to give up in our bedroom and just tile the whole thing. Maybe throw a rug down over the tile, but no more carpet with padding. In the other bedroom, the wood is a total loss. We'll probably just tile that as well.

Kim and I are well-entrenched in World of Warcraft still. I've been playing some other games I got for Christmas (The Battle for Middle-Earth, and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines), but mostly World of Warcraft. It probably doesn't help that most of the people at work are also playing, thus enabling our addiction. BfME is really good, although not particularly deep in the strategy. I've only scratched the surface of Vampire, but it seems pretty good so far. It uses the Source engine that Half-Life 2 uses, although the reviews state that it kind of wastes the technology. It does chunk a little on my computer, so I'm shopping for a new one. It's been two years since I plunged on a PC, so...the time is almost at hand.

Christmas went well in Oklahoma, although I think Kim and I are putting it out there now that we won't be traveling next Christmas. Traveling around that time is a hassel, but a bigger reason may be that every time Kim travels for Christmas, she comes home with some new illness. I've resisted it so far, and I think I'm safe at this point, but usually her Christmas sick takes us both out.

I think we're spending this week getting used to being back at work and her trying to get well, and next week we'll get back to work on our other projects.

posted by Travis at 7:27 PM

|