It's Been Too Long

I haven't recorded any music in a long time, several years to be somewhat exact, but tonight I put a new twist on a song called Astral Being that I wrote in 1998 in my dorm room in Seattle. Check it out at: http://www.myspace.com/thesongsofchrismartin, the song is called Astral Being 2008. You can also check out the 1998 version, tuned to C#. Fun and heavy, and the guitar tones are so much better today than 10 years. Of course, 10 years I go I was using a Digitech RP12, as opposed to the Line 6 Pod X3 Live that I use today. It's amazing how far technology as come in terms of guitar processors.

Wicked Cool

Some photos from a brief photo walk today.

One of Those Moments

I just had one of those moments where I realize my job affects the clothes that I wear. In the spirit of doing digital media production and working on the computer all day, I am wearing a red shirt, green shorts, and blue shoes. Oh brother, I'm even dressing in RGB! There is my moment of pure geekness.

The Saga of the Failed Drive

The saga of the failed drive is now over. I have all of my data, and now I don't have to recreate the work that I was right in the middle of when it failed.

The Dark Knight

It is rare when a movie moves me so deeply and shakes me to my core. I have weird and eccentric taste in movies. I like Delicatessen, Amelie, Time Bandits, Brazil, but while those are based in almost fantastical worlds, The Dark Knight is set in a seemingly modern-day reality. And that is truly what makes the film both amazing and unsettling. The late Heath Ledger's performance was amazing, including his stint as a nurse getting some Purell. Equally impressive was Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent/Two Face.

More to come as I process the movie. It sure created some interesting dreams last night.

The Saga of the Failed Drive

My main data drive is currently in California getting probed, recovering the data that I didn't have a chance to back up. This has affected me deeply, and I have learned to back up my data on a daily basis. The feelings are very crazy, it's as if part of me is missing. I know that may seem weird, but there was so much work on there from the past three years of my life. The majority was backed up, which was good.

Let this be a lesson. Back up your data. Back it up. It hurts when it goes away.

A Moment of Sickness

Delayed write failure on Drive F:

Random Musings

As opposed to my last blog posting, today is a beautiful day. Slightly overcast, just waiting for the sun to come out and make it nice and warm. Kristina and I got a gas grill, so I have some ground turkey marinating in onions, garlic, garlic pepper and marinade. Yum! Turkey burgers for dinner.

I have been rather inspired by things from Europe and Britain as of late. The first is the new Coldplay album, "Viva La Vida." I have been a Coldplay fan for a couple of years, but their new album is definitely my favorite. Start to finish, it is the strongest and most interesting collection of songs that I have heard in a while. Next on the horizon is "Death Magnetic" by Metallica in September. I am one of those fans that has Mission: Metallica Platinum membership, so I have gotten to enjoy their random musings and promotions for the new album.

The second inspiration is a French film called "The City of Lost Children." Very fascinating look at the search for the cure of the aging process, cloning, amnesia, and kids forced to take care of themselves because the adults are too interested in other things.

I recently purchased Softimage XSI to work on some 3D animation projects, and with it came a training DVD called "The Artists Guide to XSI." My only experience with learning software has been tutorials, books and the classroom, so this DVD was my first step into learning software. I'm hooked, what a great way to learn something. Books are good, but when it comes to complex software and techniques, actually seeing what's going on and being able to follow along simultaneously is a definite advantage that really excites me.

Well, I think that is about it for this episode of random musings. Offspring's "Hammerhead" is on, and I am going to work on some modeling tutorials in XSI.

Greed, Lies and Propaganda

June 10th and it's pouring down rain, cold and dark. I grow tired of the presidential race. It's not really a race, considering it has gone on longer than it really needs to. I grow tired of sensational journalism, as if they are actually reporting anything new. I'm tired of greed preventing the truth from actually coming out. I'm tired of propaganda telling me what I need to believe so that I will continue feeding the machine that keeps the world running. I'm tired of lies. I want the truth. It is true that the truth hurts, but how many people must be hurt in order for the truth to remain hidden?

I am tired today, but life goes on. It always does, regardless of whether I think I can change that or not.

The Rough Cut is Done

After two weeks of solid editing, my rough cut for my trip to The Gambia, Africa is complete. After showing to several people, I will now complete the final edits this week and it will show next weekend at church. Pretty exciting! I have edited 25 hours of material down to 10 minutes and this week I want to get the final cut to 9 minutes.

23 Hours of Fun

Going back to work today, armed with 23 hours of mini-DV from my trip to Africa, a 1 TB external FireWire hard drive, and enough work to employ a small army. No wonder I woke up before 5:00 AM. Jet lag and a side of anxiety.

Initial Thoughts on My Trip to The Gambia

For many years, I have wanted to come to Africa. I have read about it, seen movies about it, heard songs about it, but it wasn't until I finally traveled to Africa that I realized that I really didn't know anything about Africa and why people end up living the way they do. Extreme poverty, health issues, hunger, thirst, all that things that can destroy an entire continent. Yet, these things ultimately don't stop the Gambians. They continue to live, to eat, to drink in the worst conditions; hot, dry, dirty, smelly. They work a grueling day for about $5, just enough to hopefully feed their families that night. If they didn't make anything, they would not eat. They devote themselves to a religion that doesn't help them, and they are surrounded by tourists.

In some ways, it could seem that they invite you into their misery so that they could have a taste of our good life. But what it comes down to is that they end up teaching you about sincerity, hard work, survival, contentment, and gratitude. All things that you can't truly know until you see their joy in life.

To be among the poor in America and come here, I realize that I am a "two-bob," a rich man, here in the Gambia. I make more in a month than they will in a year. And that makes me think, why does one human's life have more value than another’s? Is it only because of the country I live in, or is there something else that determines the worth of a human life?

All in all, this trip was life changing. It confirmed what I believe God has made me to do, and it showed me what contentment is all about.

Art of the Interview and Lighting Workshops

Well, it was a great weekend of learning some valuable information in the areas of interviewing people and lighting them. The lighting class was great in that it provided some fundamental lighting principles that I haven't really had the chance to play around with since I went to art school. The hands-on portion of the class was great and seeing the ways that you can manipulate and sculpt light was amazing and very exciting.

More inspiring and motivating was the art of the interview class. It lit a fire of excitement for what I do that I haven't really felt in some time. Seeing the process at which I work, and not being afraid of taking chances in asking tough questions, will hopefully push me towards some amazing moments in my upcoming trip to The Gambia.

All in all, the whole idea of a weekend of workshops is not only a brilliant idea, but you get to meet people that are doing exactly what you are, and that is worth a lot.

Jelly Beans

I took pictures of jelly beans today. That was the highlight of my day. Except for LOST of course.

Commercials

Life would be much simpler without commercials. TV shows that are supposed to be an hour would actually be an hour. Lost would be found in the missing minutes interrupted by the constant noise of consumerism. Heroes would actually save the world instead of telling me that I need to feel insecure about the 1987 Crown Victoria that I drive instead of the brand new Toyota Corolla. Do commercials exist for the sole purpose of making me feel so crappy about my life because I don't own the latest and greatest phone, car, internet service, beer, or lubricant jelly? In the words of my wife, "they do honey." Correction. "They do comma honey."

The Gambia; Workshops; Rebel Without a Crew; The Power of Inspirational Friends

My two week trip to The Gambia, Africa is steadily approaching, and I am starting to get really excited. I have had my yellow fever, hepatitis-a, and tetanus shots, as well as filled prescription for malaria medicine. I have purchased over 30 hours of mini-dv tape, a 16GB CompactFlash card, a circular polarizer, and a nice big backpack; everything that I need in order to video and photograph this trip. I'm looking forward to an interesting trip outside of my comfort zone. I have wanted to go to Africa for almost ten years now, and it is finally a reality.

As I go into this trip, I am looking forward to two film production workshops that I am taking this weekend. The first is on the art of the interview and how to draw out the story as you interview people. The second is on lighting. Two areas that I definitely enjoy learning more about.

I just purchased "Rebel Without a Crew," by Robert Rodriguez. So far I am loving what he is saying, more to come as I digest this book.

There is nothing like a friend that inspires you.

Update

This weekend I weighed in at 218. I have lost 68 pounds since I started my journey on Weight Watchers last May. My next weigh-in is on my 29th birthday this coming Saturday. Will I reach the 70 lbs. milestone?

Crazy to think that I am one year away from being thirty.

New Updates

I have added four new videos and two new photos to ChrisMartinStudios.com tonight! Promotional videos for Shared Blessings and People International, an animation for Genesis Performance Systems, a photo for Renewed Life Day Spa's new jacuzzi, and a random photo opportunity from my kitchen.

Enjoy!

Weight Watchers Update

I started the Weight Watchers Online for Men program the last week of May weighing in at 286. As of Saturday, October 13, I weigh 235, which is a loss of 51 pounds.

Tomorrow is my third wedding anniversary, and I can finally wear the clothes that I wore leaving the church on our wedding day! Very exciting!!

ChrisMartinStudios.com updated!

I finally updated the design for ChrisMartinStudios.com. It only took a year and a half!