volkov

so. this last week. not too much going on. the usual work and work and work. It's starting to get hotter out, which means work will get busier and less pleasant. I spent about eight hours yesterday squeezed into an attic crawlspace at about 120 degrees. not comfortable. I look back on jobs and really like that I worked with my hands to accomplish something and make something work. But the job makes cranky and irratable and it's beating my body up. I want to find something else relatively soon. As I am turning 30 next month (!) I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't get all career minded and shit.

the motorcycle is running beautifully. It rained all this last week, so I haven't had much chance to take it out to play. hoping later today shapes up well for that. maybe a ride up in the hills. some distance and altitude would be nice. should take the camera.

media consumption this last week: I saw a few movies that I really liked. I finally rented and watched The Departed. Very good. This is probably the most impressed I've been with Leo. I'm not a fan of his so that's not saying a lot, but I recognize that he has a lot of skill that often goes unused. I think Jack's character could have been played by anybody, but Jack did it with a kind of style all his own and it added some real flavor to the movie. I think the movie was bit too fast paced. It could have used some more slow simmer plot intrigue rather than the manic dash to the conclusion. but then again, it's already a pretty long movie.
Mark Wahlberg was hilarious.

also watched the Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. It's a really neet documentary about a man who befriends and takes to studying and caring for, a flock of wild parrots in San Francisco. I found the birds' individual personalities and quirks endearing...and I'm not even a hippy. If you like or are interested in animals at all, it's a good watch.

and then last night. what to go see on its opening night. No brainer. The local Alamo Drafthouse was showing the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. AND they had the TMNT battlevan parked out front of the theater.
The movie was fun. The plot was a bit clonky, but anyone going to see an animated movie about anthropomorphic turtles with ancient martial art fighting abilities looking for deep meanings, byzantine plotlines, or artistic expression....should probably be a graduate student.
the characters were fun and I think the story was far more about the turtles themselves than about the whole "oh no we're fighting otherworldly creatures...and warrior statues...AND the foot clan...." plotline.
The animation was cute. not at all reminiscent of the 1990 live action movie or of the tv cartoon from back in the day. It looked more like a cross of modern CGI (think the Incredibles) and the Manga series. my only complaint was that Splinter didn't look shabby...or even really old...at all. and of course Raphael was fuckin' awesome. AND he drove a motorcycle. just more evidence to support my position that he is the badassest of the ninja turtles.
and because it was the Drafthouse they had this cool garlic-cilantro-pepperoni pizza on a green crust. I thought that they were the leeetle personal pizzas, so I ordered two. we really only needed one. it was good though.

reading...still working on Greider's One World: Ready or Not. it's really well written. Having a poli sci background helps me get through it quicker, but he explains things in terms that anyone can grasp and he builds his arguments sequentially so that previous observations support the newer ones.
also still reading through Eco's Baudolino. It's fun. and it's Eco. and then also reading the many many magazines that I recieve. getting through an interesting article on Internet Addiction in China.

cooking wise, I've been having fun with stir frying. Made some really good cilantro/curry chicken and veggies this week, though I managed to completely smoke out the apartment in the process. need to work on that. gonna try a honey beef thing maybe later today.

allright...enough.