chris i love you!

_posted in dayedayerocks | 31 May 2007

i love deadwood... we all know this... seven minutes of "cocksucker" and every other vial word known to man, makes for a happy and joyful daye...

chris, you are by far the greatest human being to ever grace the face of this planet... well at least for the last seven minutes...

hugs and kisses...

talk a listen!

_soundcheck: tricky: blowback

"i want to do what you do!"

_posted in dayedayerocks | film | los angeles | 30 May 2007

last week was spent filming senior portfolios at manual arts high school. antero asked if i'd be interested in helping out and i figured it would be a great start for breaking in my new camera.

it was definitely more than breaking in for my camera, it was a learning experience to say the least. all of antero's kids are second language kids, so they may misstep here or there with the english language, but they are some of the sharpest kids i've had the pleasure of meeting.

the senior portfolios are new this year and antero wanted it filmed in order to show his 10th and 11th graders what they are expected to produce in their senior year. each year seniors will have to give a 30 minute presentation about their experiences in high school; both positives and negatives, their mission and future plans, break down each year based on their accomplishments and challenges. the most important thing in my opinion was their "global issue of injustice." each student had to pick a global issue of injustice that they believe they will be able to address as, well as adults. it was obvious to see why some students choose what they choose for their global issue, while others stumbled a bit in their attempt to articulate their chosen issue and how they will be effective in the fight of this issue. but it was obvious that thought went into what subject they choose.

i was privy to some extremely personal moments in this class and i can only say i was fortunate enough to be allowed to be there. the experience was so much more profound than anything i could try to convey here. i was impressed by kids who only 4 or 5 years ago knew no english and were new to america; to her cultures, views, expectations and her educational system.

i heard a few kids talk about the unfairness of not graduating when they passed their classes, but weren't able to pass the english part of the senior exit exam, the CAHSEE. one kid spoke about how he had no idea he could go to college, since people were telling him undocumented students cant go to college. i'd say 90% of them spent their first year in high school in a virtual language blackout. since they didn't understand english they felt alienated and alone and found it easier to skip school to find some semblance of community. right or wrong, who's to say we wouldn't try to find what makes sense in a situation like that. many of them spoke about their decision to drop out, but luckily they found teachers like antero and travis, among others who made sure they didnt make that tragic mistake.

each day i filmed i went home tired. not just physically, but emotionally. i saw these young adults talk about their personal struggles, personal losses, failures and successes. i saw young people close to tears when talking about losing loved ones, being disconnected from family or reintroduced to family they haven't seen since they were babies and how that changed them. i listened as a parent sat in the back of the room proud of her child's growth. i listened as they praised my friend antero for being a great teacher, albeit he assigned "too much work" and too many thick books to read. i felt a sense of pride that im friends with someone who makes such a mark on young people. its hard not to think about these kids and pray and hope that they become the lawyers, dentists, teachers, policemen, musicians and great human beings they all have the potential of being.

on a personal note. during the lunch break on the first day i ran into one of antero's kids from the intersession class where i taught a short documentary workshop. she was one of the girls i asked to film conversations the kids were having and she saw me and came to me excitedly, saying, "daye! i've been looking for you, but mr. garcia said you were at work." and we talked and i asked her where she'd be going to school and what she plans on studying and she said, "i want to do what you do! make movies." you can't imagine how that felt. it's so amazing to know that you helped someone find something they love, something they are excited to learn about. i was so moved by this. and i giggled to myself that she wants to do "what i do," when im barely aware of whatever it is im doing. but as marina said in class yesterday, "each time you make a new film, you're starting from scratch. and if you're not scared, not nervous about it, then you're done making films." it's that freshness of the unknown that keeps you going and maria helped me realize that also.

this summer we're planning a documentary workshop with noel again and i'm hoping maria will be involved. i so enjoy being at manual arts, rather its me filming my documentary or just visiting my friends there and helping them out. on friday ill be holding an editing class for a few of the kids from antero's theater class at ucla. i think that's a great start for a weekend.

_soundcheck: glen hansard and marketa irglova: the swell season

new music wednesday

_posted in new music wednesdays | 30 May 2007

on top of great music kammerflimmer kollektief offers up some really great photographs... creepy and lovely at the same time... one of bob's sons makes his solo debut... proving that a family can be overflowing with talent... i am in love with any band that can take a song from one of the my favorite musicals and make it their on... and a whole bunch of other stuff to enjoy... music music everywhere...

anthony hamilton: southern comfort
black moth super rainbow: dandelion gum
black moth super rainbow: start a people
black moth super rainbow + the octopus project: the house of apples and eyeballs
dntel: dumb luck
elliot smith: new moon
justine electra: soft rock
kammerflimmer kollektief: absencen
kammerflimmer kollektief: cicadidae
kate nash
mr. hudson & the library: a tale of two cities
ozomatli: don't mess with the dragon
stephen marley: mind control
white flight

new music wednesday = thus africa

_posted in new music wednesdays | 23 May 2007

dave chappelle said his dad gave him some sound advice at the beginning of his career; "he said, 'name your price in the beginning. if it ever gets more expensive than the price you name, get out of there.' thus, africa."

occasionally i invoke the "thus, africa" to help keep me focused and grounded in living the realty before i can even think about living the dream.

so today's new music wednesday is all about music from africa. kirkwood mentioned he'd been listening to some african music, and i instantly perked up. so i told him this week would be africa wednesday...

there's a lovely woman from mali, one of my favorite genres; soukous, which derived from the congolese rumba... there are tuaregs who make the most beautiful, painful music ive ever heard and the son of one of the greatest african guitarists, vieux farka toure.

enjoy!

rokia traore: bowmboi
rokia traore: wanita
sam mangwana: georgette eckins
tinariwen: aman iman
tinariwen: radio tisdas sessions
t.p. orchestre poly rythmo: the kings of benin urban groove 1972-80
various artists: super guitar soukous
various artists: rough guide to congolese soukous
vieux farka toure: vieux_farka_toure

_soundcheck: tinariwen: aman iman

citizen...

_posted in dayedayerocks | film | 19 May 2007

last night freida lee mock screened "wrestling with angels: playwright tony kushner"

fantasy of anarchy and revolution
neuromuscular thing... writing...

yes, im excited...

_posted in dayedayerocks | film | 18 May 2007

and yes the panasonic dvx-100b is now sitting on the dining room table... he has been christened francis, yes in honor of francis ford... yes, i am excited... yes, it is now my most favorite thing...

so im going to play with him a bit longer, before im off to melnitz to see tony kushner. yes, that tony kushner... angels in america.... munich... and much much more... freida lee mock and he will be at melnitz for a q&a after the screening of wrestling with angels: playwright tony kushner...

best line ever...

_posted in film | 17 May 2007

the colonel stands, about to walk back to his tent, when he looks down at robert, who is craving another set of notches into the barrel of his shot gun. robert dusts away the shavings and proudly looks at his handy work. the colonel shakes his head and says, "all that hate's gonna burn you up, kid."

robert looks up. smiles and says, "it keeps me warm."

_soundcheck: susumu yokota, grinning cat

brandon is gay!

_posted in dayedayerocks | 16 May 2007

so my boy bran, who works at the damn onion is on onion radio... he's the talking gay...

the only guy gay in the office

_soundcheck: electric six: fire

wednesday = new music

_posted in new music wednesdays | 16 May 2007

two new music wednesday in a row... holy shit...

panama latin, funk and calypso on the isthmus 1965-75
ghana soundz volume 1
ghana soundz volume 2
afro baby - the evolution of the afro sound in nigeria, 1970-1979
stafraenn hakon: gummi
stafraenn hakon & larus sigurdsson: calder
quantic: apricot morning
quantic: quantic presents the worlds rarest funk 45's
the quantic soul orchestra: pushin on
susumu yokota: grinning cat
susumu yokota: laputa
caetano veloso & gilberto gil: tropicalia

update: for those in the know... make sure to grab the quanticmix... hot shit...

_soundcheck: stafraenn hakon: gummi

yet another day...

_posted in dayedayerocks | 15 May 2007

i more or less know what's coming around the corner... i've bought the camera i've been thinking about buying for two years now... i'm actually working on my documentary opposed to planning for making one... and im taking film classes at ucla... but im not excited... i don't know if it's stress or just me just waiting for the other shoe to drop... i was talking to a friend the other day about the different paths people take in life... the-young-and-bold-adventurous-blowing-up-the-spot path, the-getting-married-
having-kids path, the-slowly-mastering-your-craft path... and i realized im on neither of these three... fuck... i dont even know what path im on... the-didnt-finish-college-trying-to-get-back-in-this-time-studying-what-i-really-
want-to-study-have-a-job-i-fucking-dont-care-about-hate-the-city-i-live-in-
and-i-let-the-city-change-who-i-really-am path? that more or less sums it up...

the thing is im not even sure how to change any of that... i have my plans for applying to film school... i have plans for various projects... i have plans for my life 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 years down the line... but what if that's it... my entire life being me planning... that this very moment is all im suppose to ever have... a bunch of fucking dreams and ideas that will never go beyond my doorstep (of the apartment i hate in the city i hate)... i wasted the majority of my adult life and shit if that doesn't just make you feel like complete shit on a regular basis...

it is what it is as they say...

music wednesday

_posted in new music wednesdays | 09 May 2007

new music wednesday...

a few people actually quizzed me on where new music wednesday went... yea, i know... i'm just as surprised as you... so it's back... yet again...

let's see... a lovely dread is yelling about fire... and we all want the power to impress... im in love with an irishman and want to have an afro celtic tribe with him while he's singing about the swell season... there's a paul in africa... and a whole bunch other nice gems this week... enjoy party people...

the frames: the cost
the frames: dance the devil
glen hansard and marketa irglova: the swell season
hot chip: the warning
kana: kana
kana: entre freres
david karsten daniels: sharp teeth
groundation: upon the bridge
erlend oye: unrest
bloc party: a weekend in the city
bell x1: flock
the chieftains: further down the old plank road
elbow: asleep in the back
elbow: leaders of the free world
michael franti and spearhead: yell fire!
nick drake: family tree

on another note... check out ONCE. im feeling the trailer... as you can tell im digging the music... but the idea of the film and the story is definitely pulling me in... for those of you in la. its showing at the harmony gold screening room. i wouldn't be able to make it, ive got class... but im definitely there when it opens for the masses...

_soundcheck: the frames: the cost