Friday, June 4, 2010

May 2010 Entry

Late for no reason this time. I have just been occupying myself lately and typing up this entry was usually a small afterthought. A lot did happen so I guess it didn’t really hit me that I’d be summarizing things soon.

Enough of that jargon. Onto the entry.

=====Work=====
Nothing big to report on the work front. We’re still taking time off to pay off a loan. Some workers are temporarily working full time again though just because there is work to be done.

I am actually back to full time temporarily also. This is recent and is actually June news, but I’ll just mention it now. Shipping is taking some time off so I have to cover like always. Over the span of 3 weeks, only 1 is a full week and the rest are a few days here and there. As of typing this, I’m actually in shipping right now (break period of no orders). Shipping always comes with the luxury of making the day go by fast. Can’t argue with that especially when you have stuff to do outside of work that you’re looking forward to.

=====Video Games=====
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Review) – click

Honestly, I don’t think my review of Galaxy 2 did the game justice. This isn’t the first time I’ve reviewed a game that I really liked that I felt I gave a lackluster review for. At least for Galaxy 2, I felt it is something to experience rather than to read about. Those with a Wii need to add this game (and the first one) to their library.

I did finish the second Phoenix Wright on WiiWare. The third sits untouched for when I have downtime. Also got Episode 5 for the first title. I did download “Wild Guns” for the Virtual Console. That was a nice quick (and challenging) romp of 16-bit goodness. It definitely was harder than I thought it would be. It would be nice to try it with a second player sometime.

=====Video Projects=====
Only 2 real videos were done in May (end of entry like always). There are a couple more related to the Formal, but I’ll talk more about that later.

I do have a big project planned that I would like to do for my birthday. Without giving away too many details, it’s a talk/variety show. It’s a chance for us to learn more about our friends through stories and fun activities. I have the talk segments and activity segments planned out (even the questions to be asked) and I’m thinking of how to set up everything (camera angles, audience/guest positioning, possible decorations, etc.). I’m only worried about getting guests and if people will actually be interested in the idea at all whether they’re a guest or part of the audience. I’m hoping for 5 guests at the least. If there are more, I’ll implement a rotating guest function because I do plan for this to be long. Each segment involves a talk and activity portion and I plan/hope for each segment (3 total) to last an hour long. Breaks will be scheduled of course. It’s a plan in the works and I will soon start generating some buzz to see who is interested.

=====1 Year of HD (06.12.09-06.12.10)=====
Kind of hard to believe that it’s been a year since I bought my HD camera. So much has been happening since then and it makes me glad I was there to capture most of those memories on film for myself and for others to view. I’ve enjoyed all the videos I’ve made and it seems that more people are up for doing bigger and crazier things.

I wanted to make a video highlighting one year of HD. I still have time to do something if I really force myself to. In a way, I don’t think it’s necessary, but it definitely wouldn’t be bad to do something. As of writing this out, I have a week to decide and execute anything if I do. I have 3 ideas and I’ll just have to see which might seem the easiest for me to do within that week (barring other things happening during the week).

Over time, I’ve come to have a certain style. It’s nothing big, but I like to make clips work to the music I set them to. One of my favorite videos is still the Photo Trip in 2009 and that wasn’t in HD (I should do one for the one we had this year…). Other than that, editing the XMAS Bash from last year shows how variety shows I’ve watched over the years effects how I edit. That is pretty much done, but I do want to add more to it.

I don’t do graphics, but occasionally I’ll ask for photos from someone to use. I may start asking for more collaboration on these just to make the videos sparkle a little more.

I am still very protective about my cameras. The one that is already damaged, I don’t mind others using it. The original one…even though I’ve damaged it (recently dropped it…) I still don’t like others to touch it unless I ask them to. All the other equipment I’ve bought (tripods, lights, etc) I don’t mind others touching. The camera, that’s the most important (and expensive) thing I worry about the most. I have thought recently to get a 3rd camera. I have borrowed a coworker's before, but at least with a 3rd, I won't have to worry about ruining his or someone else damaging it in some way. We'll see what happens with that idea.

I’m also thinking more like a director. It does suck that I can’t control everyone during these events (getting in the way of the camera, saying inappropriate things, etc.), but I can’t anyways. This isn’t work. This is our friends coming together to have fun. They’re not getting paid to be directed around and that’s understandable. There are just moments during editing where I think “I wish you didn’t stand there” or “You really shouldn’t say that especially since it’s now captured on camera.” It would just help if others were more camera aware.

I have yet to figure out how to purely and effectively be in front of the camera and still get what I want filmed. I do at least tell whoever I wish to have behind the camera what to do to a small degree. Still doesn’t mean they’ll shoot it the way I want it, but most of my friends deal with photos rather than video. I can’t help, but want to be part of the fun activities we do so I want to do them. Some of the smaller ones, I don’t mind just being behind the camera and catching everyone else having fun. But for bigger activities where I can set up cameras, I’ll at least try to get certain people behind the camera for me (usually those not participating). Maybe over time they will be more comfortable with shooting for me. What I plan to do for my birthday will be a great example of me needing cooperation and having people other than me behind the camera. There’s no way around it since I’ll be on stage the whole time.

Somewhere down the line, I’d like to have a studio. This can also help with Royal Flush Media (advertise to your friends). Doing stuff outdoors is usually/always unpredictable. Someone’s house can be a controlled environment, but that’s someone’s house. It’s not built to be a studio. Sure, you can adjust things to make it work like a studio, but it’s still a house. So having a studio ready to set up and manipulate freely would really help in some of our bigger things we plan as well as add some professionalism to Royal Flush Media. Maybe that can be something I can think to invest in.

Anyways, look forward to more videos from me. I hope for more people to want to be in front of the camera and be more cooperative as time progresses.

=====2010 Formal/Formal 2010=====
Ah, the Formal. Well, in order to generate more interest in the event, we have started filming a series of commercials/CFs. The first one has been aired (end of entry) and we will be releasing new ones once a week until the final week before the Formal.

I really hope more people show interest. We’re in a crunch with the low number of guests at the moment. Schedules should be easier to plan out this close to the event for those still on the fence. Any other reason, well...I don’t know. Some just aren’t interested at all. Those that already marked that they aren’t going, I’m not going to try to change their mind about it. All the unsure ones, I hope they at least choose whether they’re going or not before the final week of June. Then the committee will finalize everything then.

Planning this hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world. And I’ll end it there not to whine about it too much.

=====Final Thoughts=====
I mentioned in my last entry about getting spam more lately in my email and blog posts. I can’t really put a stop on the emails, but the ones that keep getting sent to my blog I can fix. I’m going to delete that entry soon (keep forgetting). I’ve thought to move it to my review blog, but I figure that the same thing will happen. So sooner or later my review of “Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games” will disappear from the internet.

120+ episodes into “You Are My Destiny.” Only about 50 more to go I think.

Ah, Salsa…how I do enjoy going there every Wednesday. I mentioned briefly last entry that Cinco de Mayo helped a funk I was in. Well, it just happened to be a day of Salsa class. It just lifted my spirits. Thanks, Lucia, for being so awesome and so hot, ha!

Another random karaoke outing. Well, it was something we did to celebrate a few friends graduating college. It was fun, just like last time. We sang more Korean songs (those that knew any) this time around and I had a blast. I’m pretty sure at one point I sang 5-9 songs in a row due to me picking a few and others picking songs that I wanted to sing also. 4 of those were SNSD songs in a row. There were 5 total and we did them all (Oh!, Kissing You, ITNW, Genie, and Gee). Other than those and a few other ones I really liked singing, I think my favorite song I did that night was BoA’s “Bump! Bump!” I really like that song. Can’t wait to go there again and to see what new Asian songs they added since then.

I lost a lot of sleep this month. A good week or so, I didn't feel fully awake due to forcing myself to go to certain events with little sleep in between. Trust me, I wanted to sleep. It just didn't happen at times. I'm fine now. No worries.

Crabbing/Fishing was fun. Memorial Day was fun.

Congratulations to all that graduated this year.

And...I lost my train of thought from when I started this at work to when I continued this at home. It never fails. Might as well end it instead of delaying this entry longer. So here's to June and what it may bring.

Fishing-Crabbing - WTF (What The Fish) - 05.22.10


Christiana's Graduation SPLASH - 05.16.10


Memorial Day In Kemah - Hammer Time - 05.31.10


Formal 2010 - CF-1


Take care. Mmbyeeeee.

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