The Wrestler

Viewed this movie on line the other day and it was surprisingly good. I can see why its getting so much praise and why Mickey Rourke is being seen in the lime light.

Basically it tells the story of a veteran wrestler (think fake WWF styles) whos past his prime but with nothing else going for him keeps on pushing it. His path crosses with a stripper of which he is romantically fond of and his daughter as he trys to piece together somewhat of a normal life.

Lifes tricky, and he makes mistakes and slips back to his old ways which serves up doubt in those close to him. He struggles with these mistakes and continues with his efforts, on one hand wanting to create and live this new life and on the other slipping back into his old way of life.

Mickey plays the character well. You can really feel his sense of loss when trying to live outside of the wrestling world. He becomes just a nobody when outside the ring and this pushes him just as quickly back into it even with a bad heart. The desperation and physical look Mickey puts across is very real, and his creation of the character well developed.

The story really rings true on a number of levels, but simply put its a mans struggle with the end of an era and what he will become and how he will survive after its over.

Casey

Casey hadnt even been waiting that long but it was starting to seem like forever. She had decided to get in to the city early so as to be at the meeting place earlier then ususal. The things she had to say were just overwhealming her and she couldnt stand to be stuck with these thoughts any longer.

“He better get here soon”, she thought close to desperately. “I cant just assume he will. I need to know that he will. He made it last time, but what about the time before that. Or the time when you really needed him and he couldnt be found or contacted by any means.”

She started to get nervous and stood up and began to pace and scan up and down the street. He would be walking but from which direction she didnt know. She impulsively pulled out her phone ever few minutes to check she hadnt missed a call. Nothing. Looking at the clock again, 12 minutes had passed since she last noted the time.

“Shit, shit, shit, I knew he wouldnt make it. Fuck him, fuck him, he doesnt really matter. You can do this.” She said to her self.

“Casey” the words spoke quitely and with some doubt. She quickly spun around and found to her dismay that it he wasnt alone this time.

A brief walk

Went out to take some shots this morning. Plugged in the ipod, and just starting wandering. I ended up spilling out onto the main road which is a roughish part of town. As I walked the main street I had a feeling that this might not be the smartest of ideas as I was carrying my camera and obviously had a ipod of some sort that i was listening to. Took a few more shots before a lady pulled up and said that I should “be careful”. I knew what she meant, and headed home. Funny that i cant feel safe walking around my own neighbourhood in the middle of a sunny sunday. Hmmmm.

A JOB!

So I landed a job at Camera West. A Camera Store in Walnut Creek. They have been around for about 10 years but started in Monterey and only recently opened in Walnut Creek, CA.

The position is mostly sales, but as its a very small team, there will also be room for helping out in other areas of the business development.

http://www.camerawest.com/

Boom shanka. World of employment here I come…..

Frederick Law Olmsted

In 1864 Abraham Lincoln authorized the transfer of the Yosemite Valley to the state of California for “public use, resort and recreation.” Frederick Law Olmsted was appointed chairman of the board of commissioners established to oversee the administration of the park, and he formulated a theory of use for this new type of land. The national park idea took root in an 1865 report that presented his views on how Yosemite should be developed.

Anchoring his thinking at the conclusion of the Civil War and amid the burgeoning Industrial Revolution, Olmsted envisioned a need for ordinary citizens to maintain perspective in their daily lives by being exposed to, and encouraged to contemplate, the natural rhythms of the natural world.

LOR

Wow, this is impressive. And its said to be produced for under $5000. The lighting is incredible, the costumes spot on and the cinematography inspiring. IF you have a spare half hour its worth a look.

Inertia

inertia
noun
1) a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged

Bay bridge development panorama

The west side of the bay bridge is slowly getting replaced. here is the development so far. You can see the new bridge part being built parallel to the existing bridge. On memorial day they will close the old part and begin work on part of the transfer. It will be a while before the new part comes on line but its lookin good so far. I cant even begin to imagine what the costs are involved with a project of this magnatude. It will probably stand for the next 50-100 years.

Seen from above via Google Maps ( please dont bust me! )

This way please.

A few new long exposures combined with a full moon. Check em out over at flickr.
JUMP

Shot from Treasure Island, Marin Headlands and the hills near Livermore.

Something new to read…

There is something more going on, in my humble opinion, then this everyday awakeness we all live and breathe through. Its my experience so far that its not enough to just live everyday without question or wonder. This feeling comes and goes for me with varying strengths each time. More recently I have been left with a lot of time to think and wonder, which in general leads me in circles and sometimes more then not it is downward tending.

Today while preparing to head to library for another day of sitting in front of the computer I recieved a message from friend to head out for coffee. Not one to pass up on such an opportunity (and who doesnt like to procrastinate every once in a while), we headed to Coles Coffee, a local berkeley coffee house, and proceded to sit and watch the world sail on by. The people watching here is especially good as its situationed on a corner and there is a lot of foot traffic in the area.

After sitting for an hour or two we decided to do what we normally do after sipping coffee and shooting the shit for a while, and we headed to a local used book store. Its here where instead of heading to the usual sections of photography or magazines, I instead headed to the area covering buddism, feeling the need to have more substance in my next book. At this stage my eye caught this book and I figured what the heck. Ive heard about Deepak and feel his presence on such shows like oprah makes him a little too new age for my liking but flicking through the book quickly it felt right.

Its a fictional account of the life of the Buddha and as I struggle with reading just the lessons of buddism I figure this will be a way to absorb some of the messages while following a story line that keeps me interested.

Will see…