Saw High and Low at the Film Forum, great movie, but the theater was a good 20 minute walk away and the ticket was $9.75. Yuck. I'm going to have to get a membership there for $65, but then afterwards tickets are $5 so that'll be nice.

On the way home I got a little lost and had to take a taxi, hahaha. Oh well. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle...

Anyways, I also bought what I thought was Strawberry Soy Milk, but it turned out to be Strawberry Yogurt you can drink. It was kinda weird, but I finished it.

I have to go to bed a little early today since I have to wake up around 8ish to go camping with the other film students. woohoo... I guess I won't be writing again until Sunday night, or monday night, hahaha I don't even know how long the trip is... anyways I'm gonna sit online and wait for someone for awhile...

Posted by Ben at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

waiting to leave to go see High and Low... it's at 9... it's 7:50...

Posted by Ben at 7:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well I checked my mail, no luck yet... I'm not sure what time the mail arrives here, I'll have to find out. I was able to ship that package too, luckily it was a little bit cheaper this time around thanks to packaging it myself using a box i snatched from the school recycle.

I also went to the bookstore and bought my books. I spent $270.40, not too bad compared to what others have spent. Here's what I had to buy...

Pocket Style Manual for english
Encounters - a collection of short stories
Writing the Essay: Art & The World
Mercer Street - short stories I think...
Inferno, Pugatorio, and Paradiso - Dante
The Symposium - Plato
Aristotles Poetics
Beowulf
Confessions - St. Augustine
Laxdaela Saga
Oedipus The King, Oedipus as Colonus, Antigone - Sophocles
Lancelot
The Aenied - Virgil
The Tools of Screenwriting
Story Sense

I think my western conversations class is gonna be a lot of fun, we get to read some neat books so even if I don't become smarter, I'll think I am, hahaha.

Posted by Ben at 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well I was too lazy to go out yesterday to see the movie, so I didn't.

Had an interesting dream, woke up very happy.

Woke up at about 1:30.

I should probably start getting myself into a normal sleeping pattern.

Not much else to say, I need to go pickup a package (my phone is supposed to show up today, free long distance woohoo!) and I need to mail one more thing.

Alright I'll write again later tonight...

Posted by Ben at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just got home from dinner with roommates... we ate at University Hall which is buffet and we managed to steal a whole bunch of fruit by being sneaky hahaha... well we pay enough for school as it is so we figured 20 pieces of fruit wouldn't hurt... aside from the fruit, I had salad and pizza... mmm... pretty good stuff. Alright, nothing else much to talk about. Peace dawgs

Posted by Ben at 8:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just went to mailboxes etc to try to mail something and failed in my mission. They told me it would be $30 so I retreated back to my dorm to figure out a new plan... I'm going to have to raid the school recycle downstairs, but for now it's been emptied, oh well... anyways, i got a lot of sleep finally! I slept from about 1:30 or 2ish to 1 in the afternoon, felt so nice...

Later today I have to go to Washington Mutual to liberate my money in a new account and I think I'm gonna go see the Kurosawa film Sanjuro. Nothing else much planned for the day.

I finished my box of Special K red berry in a day, crap. My carton of Silk is also almost empty... I'll have to buy more at once next time...

Ok, that's it for now, bye.

Posted by Ben at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just got home from time square real quick, went there to buy something. It's so nice being able to take the subway, before when i didn't know how to take them I used taxis if it was a long walk... what a waste of money, ugh... well today was interesting. I met a guy who's a film major who is friends with the guy who hit Bill Clinton's dog. Then on the way home I saw someone get hit by a car. Very freaky, luckily she was okay.

The weather today was nice, breezy with a slight drizzle. Felt a little like Seattle weather.

Anyways not much to talk about...

Posted by Ben at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, my parents and brother just left... I could barely even make eye contact with any of them for fear that I might actually start crying... ugh... well, that's all for now, I have an appointment with my advisor at one...

Posted by Ben at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, today was a loooong day, I'm just gonna list in order what I did and for the most part not go into detail.

8 o'clock - Woke Up

went to a book talk about the Laramie Project, met a girl there that went to Roosevelt Highschool, turns out she lives right down the hall too.

Went back to dorm.

Went to freshmen orientation for the film students. Almost fell asleep. Only because I had only 5 hours of sleep...

Went to meet parents.

Met distant cousin from philadelphia.

Ate dinner.

Since my cousin works in NY, she knew of a good dessert place so we went there. I had a new york cheesecake. mmm...

Went to my dorm, loaned her a couple DVD's, she left, then went out again with roommates.

Went to the Virgin Megastore in Time Square, bought three CDs
The Flaming Lips
Los Halos
Modest Mouse

Parted with them early so I could go to bed because I have to wake up early tomorrow to say bye to family.

Took the subway home alone! It was 11:30pm... what an adventure...

Got a little depressed on the subway just sitting there...

Started wishing I hadn't come to NY... I guess it's the inevitable questioning of any big decisions that ones makes...

Felt better once I got off at Union Square...

Got a little lost...

Got unlost...

Got home...

Took a shower...

Now I'm sitting here and it's 12:16...

Cool Fact about NYC - They give out copies of the Onion here for free!!! Every thursday, booyah!

Posted by Ben at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today I walked more then I've ever walked in a single day. After my first journal entry I walked to the main Tisch building on Broadway and that was about 7 or 8 blocks I think... I didn't take the most efficient route. Afterwards I walked probably 10 blocks or so to get my ID photo taken. Upon getting there I stood in line feeling all sweaty and nasty for about half an hour. Then after taking the photo I called me family to meet up with them when I was on 9th street... my parents were on 46th street... 35 streets away... yeehaw! I made it to about 34th street I think and then some in the other direction too toward the Hudson river, in all that probably added about 30 more blocks to my walking total. By that time it was about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Afterwards I spent the rest of the day walking. So basically my day was walk walk walk walk walk, but for some off reason I still enjoyed it. Not having to drive and worry about a car is great. You feel a lot more free being able to walk wherever you like, plus the taxi drivers here are flat out insane, but sometimes that's good for a little excitement.

During all this walking I did a couple things. I went to some naval museum where they had boats, subs, and planes. woohoo... BUT the next thing was actually woohoo! I went to the Guggenheim Museum which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, GORGEOUS BUILDING! The whole time on my way there I hummed the Simon and Garfunkle song in my head. The museum was great too, lots of decent works by great artists so let me start name dropping. They had works by Cezzane, Degas, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Duchamp, Seurat and a bunch of others. They also had a Van Gogh in storage somewhere... really neat stuff if you enjoy art...

afterwards my day was pretty lame until I got back into my dorm and got on the computer and started typing this... ok, not much else to say for now. Seeya...

Posted by Ben at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'VE FINALLY MOVED IN AND FINALLY GOT MY INTERNET CONNECTION WORKING! BOOYAH!

whew, so much to write about this time...

I'll start with my trip to NY.

I left from Trenton NJ and took a train because I thought it would be fun. Well it was sort of packed in there because there were seven stops along the way on which more people would get on every single time. By not making eye contact I managed to avoid having to sit crammed with people. It was nice though because I was just able to sit and think about random stuff for an extended period of time. I also saw an intesresting Washington Mutual ad. It asked one to join the revolution and LIBERATE YOUR MONEY! hahaha, how radical... I think I might just go and do that today, I have to find a new bank today. Another funny thing happened as I was exiting the train station. The first thing I saw in New York, a STARBUCK! awww... the warm feeling in my stomach of feeling like I was at home made me want to throw up, oh well... I've only seen three or so in all the time I've spent here thus far, I think I'll be okay.

After arriving in NYC, my family checked into their hotel and I was able to take my good to my dorm. I unpacked and then was forced to go out with family again to eat our second dinner of the night. As I was walking around I noticed lots of people selling portraits of various famous figures. Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, etc... then I noticed a Slobodon Milosovic portrait! In full color nonetheless! I was so taken back by the idea that someone would ever try to sell something like that that I almost purchased it, I was just curious as to where the Hitler bust was. After passing up on the picture, but having a good laugh I made my way back to the dorm. My roommates and I watched Requiem for a Dream, but I missed most of it because I was on the phone with someone... it was okay, the movie's depressing anyways, but I did catch the last twenty minutes or so. As you can see it was a pretty eventful day, I'm sure lots more happened, but I have to get going. I need to pickup my schedule for orientation week and also get my photo taken for my ID card... I'm most likely going to get lost so if I don't write in here again for awhile it was nice writing to you all.

Posted by Ben at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Still in Philadelphia... still have nothing to do... the art museum here (where Rocky ran up the stairs) has some nice stuff... that Dali painting of the spanish civil war with the guy ripping himself apart, and Duchamps (spelling?) Nude Descending Staircase are all located here. They also have a pretty extensive Rodin collection, Rodin being the guy who did the thinking dude... BUT I have yet to visit the museum and don't know if I'll be able to go today :(

Another thingy I already missed out on is Bumbershoot! Shoot is right, I'm so pissed that I'm going to miss it. Sonic Youth is going to be there!!! and deathcab for cutie... and modest mouse (whom I've only currently begun to develop a liking for), and some other guys who I can't remember... oh yeah! Lou Reed! Damn, I've heard the guy's softened a lot since his Velvet Underground days, but still... that guy is the epitome of cool... well sort of. Anyways I'm really bummed that I missed that and I'm bummed that I'm most likely going to miss the art museum here, agh.

Oh well, New York has a bunch of nice museums including the Whitney where Edward Hopper's stuff is at! And I get four years to explore. woohoo. I guess we're finally headed down there tomorrow, but until then I still don't have much to do... I think we're going shopping again today... ugh...

Posted by Ben at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Saturday Morning - Currently writing thank you notes to various people who gave me gifts before I left... how fun... sometimes I wish they just hadn't given me anything, I hate writing these things...

Posted by Ben at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ugh, went shopping today because my mom knew I wouldn't buy clothes on my own while in New York. I know what it feels like to be spoiled rotten now. Forced to buy clothes even when I don't want to... oh well... I did end up getting my PS2 today which is cool. It's incredibly muggy here, yuck. Pretty uneventful day, just lots of shopping, how exciting... Dinner is coming up soon so I'm looking forward to that, but I WANT TO GO TO NY!!! Oh well, two more days...

Posted by Ben at 7:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Whew, finally on the east coast. It's 9:37 here right now, so my body still thinks it's 6:37... yeah that's how time zones work. I'm tired, but can't get back to sleep, it's way too bright out, oh well. The flights were awesome, both on the way to phoenix and to philly (that's what us hip folk call it) I had no one sitting next to me so I was able to stretch my legs out a little more then I would have otherwise. The only thing nagging me all the way there was the fact that I left my phone at home. I had someone to call, but the number is in that phone!!! agh, all my family is here too so it'll be awhile before i get it back. Oh well, it's better that I don't get too attached to a device like that anyways.

The weather here is humid and hot, yuck, but the city's nice. I don't get to head down to NYC until Sunday, bummer. I can almost smell the foul city air already, but at least I'm not going to LA, where that air would probably be looming overhead from hundreds of miles away. I hate that city with a passion. Anyways, I have better things to do then sit online and write in my journal right now so I'm aboutsta bizounce. Peace.

Posted by Ben at 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Woohoo, this is my first livejournal entry, although I did have to pay $5 for the damn account... oh well, i was too lazy to wait to get one from a friend. Well before I started this journal I had one at diaryland.com so I'm going to copy and paste all those entries into this entry so here I go...

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2002-08-21 - 11:09 a.m.

ugh.... wednesday morning... the last morning i get to spend being lazy in washington... omg... that's so weird.
well, after i'm done being lazy i get to pack all my clothes and seal the boxes. I also had to select some cds to listen to on the plane. Here are the Cds I chose...

ugly casanova - sharpen your teeth

sonic youth - murray street

pavement - terror twilight

deathcab for cute - the photo album

radiohead - ok computer, kid a, the bends

sigur ros - agaetis byrjun

those are all stored away in a tiny little cd holder thingy. The rest in my gigantic folder are all boxed up...
I've also packed two playstation 2 games. Gran Turismo 2 and Fifa 2002... I still have yet to buy a ps2, i'll get it in NY...
hmmm what else... nothing much else to say i think... maybe i'll write again later tonight...

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2002-08-20 - 11:15 p.m.

Looong day today, went shopping with my mom for clothes, then sat in the car for an hour, yipee...

Today i made my first visit to what is known as Jamba Juice. I went to the one inside Whole Foods on Roosevelt with some friends. The verdict: tastes good, expensive, makes me feel so yuppie drinking it. Oh well, at least i arrived in a civic packed full of people and not in an suv... plus i was near organically grown vegetables so that's got to be good for some points too.

Other then my Jamba Juice adventure it was a pretty uneventful day. Just getting ready to leave. Thursdays the way. Yay. now if someone would just get me a livejournal signup code thingy....

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2002-08-20 - 1:22 a.m.

My mom threw a going away party for me today a whole bunch of friends showed up and we had a good time. Even recorded a rocking version of "Kiss me" lol. They were nice enough to get me a stereo system, which i'm currently listening to Kid A on, and some other gifts. My friends rule... I'm gonna miss them...*sniff* but yeah... i guess that saves me some money, as if i don't have any right now... hahaha

I also went bowling today, again... I've gone bowling so many times the past couple weeks... oh well, it's a lot of fun and i'm getting a lot better. when i get back from NY i vowed to average above 200, but we'll see...

Well that's all I have to say for now I guess... I leave Thursday morning, oh so close... woohooo

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2002-08-18 - 10:54 p.m.

ugh... my diary entry got erased, now no one except me and a couple other people will know how my sunday was... sucks to be you, most of you at least...

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2002-08-17 - 11:31 p.m.

Ugh... bored... alright I'll list some CDs that I adore now... this is all off the top of my head so this one is going to be shorter then my movie list (which was cut and paste from a file I keep)... i think... here i go...

Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun

(notice I even put it ahead of Radiohead...)

Radiohead - The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac

Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted, Terror Twilight

Death Cab for Cutie - The Photo Album

The Beatles - Everything! But the White Album and Sgt. Pepper especially

Sonic Youth - Murray Street, Sister

Godspeed you Black Emperor - Lift yr Skinny Fists like Antennae into the Air

Travis - The Invisible Band, The Man Who

Ugly Casanova - Sharpen Your Teeth

Weezer - The Blue Album

Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground and Nico, White Light White Heat

The Who - Who's Next, Tommy

Simon and Garfunkle - Live in Central Park

Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret

Pixies - Doolittle

LOL, alright anyone with some decent music knowledge is gonna know I probably have no business writing a list like this... it's a bit biased toward indie rock, but oh well... this is the stuff that I've enjoyed and would like others to enjoy also, hahaha enjoy. I apologize for what I'm sure are hundreds of omissions... I'll try to write a short list of my favorite songs next time...

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2002-08-17 - 11:24 p.m.

One thing about me is that if I like a work of art, be it a movie, painting, drawing, music, etc. I can't help but share it with others and hope that someone else is touched by it the same way I was. With that out of the way, when I have nothing to write about I'll just randomly write lists of art I like. Today I'll begin by publishing a list of my favorite movies as of today... it's kinda long so here it goes...

12 Angry Men
12 Monkeys
2001: A Space Odyssey
400 Blows, The
8 ½
Aguirre: The Wrath of God
Airplane!
Akira
All Quiet on the Western Front
Amelie
Apartment, The
Apocalypse Now
Badlands
Being John Malkovich
Being There
Blade Runner
Boogie Nights
Breakfast at Tiffanys
Casablanca
Charade
Chinatown
Christmas in August
Christmas Story, A
Chungking Express, The
Cinema Paradiso
Citizen Kane
City Lights
City of Lost Children, The
Clockwork Orange, A
Conformist, The
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Dancer in the Dark
Das Boot
Days of Heaven
Dear America
Deer Hunter, The
Delicatessan
Do the Right Thing
Donnie Darko
Dr. Strangelove
Dracula
Drunken Master 2
Duck Soup
Empire Strikes Back, The
Exorcist, The
Eyes Wide Shut
Fargo
Fellowship of the Rings
Fight Club
Five Easy Pieces
Friend
Full Metal Jacket
General, The
George Washington
Ghost in the Shell
Ghost World
Godfather 1 and 2
Goodfellas
Harold and Maude
Heat
Hoop Dreams
Ikiru
In The Mood for Love
Jaws
Joint Security Area
Jules and Jim
Kiki’s Delivery Service
L.A. Confidential
La Strada
Last Detail, The
Last Emperor, The
Last Temptation of Christ, The
M
Magnolia
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Mean Streets
Meeting People is Easy
Memento
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Nights of Cabiria
North by Northwest
Nowhere to Hide
Passion of Joan of Arc, The
Peeping Tom
Pi
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Princess Mononoke
Psycho
Pulp Fiction
Raging Bull
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Ran
Rear Window
Rebel Without a Cause
Requiem for a Dream
Roman Holiday
Rushmore
Schindler’s List
Seven Samurai
Seventh Seal, The
Shawshank Redemption, The
Sherlock Jr.
Silence of the Lambs, The
Singing in the Rain
Some Like it Hot
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Take Care of My Cat
Taxi Driver
Thin Red Line, The
This is Spinal Tap
To Kill a Mockingbird
Tokyo Drifter
Touch of Evil
Toy Story 1 and 2
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Un Chien Andalou
Vertigo
Waiting for Guffman
Why Has Bodhi Dharma Left for the East
Wild Strawberries
Wrong Man, The

Alright, I think that's it for now... I'm sure I'm missing a couple worthy films, but I've combed through my brain and my vote history on Internet Movie Database and this is what I've come up with so far...

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2002-08-15 - 3:40 p.m.

Talked to another one of the guys in my suite today, Ian. Seemed pretty cool. I've now talked to three of five guys there, but I'm no longer worried that I'm not going to enjoy myself. Phew... slowly coming out of my depression from leaving and becoming excited. Exactly one week until departure. Yipee...

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2002-08-14 - 11:48 p.m.

This is my first entry. Contrary to what the website might be telling you, I'm actually still in Washington... I leave next Thursday and school starts about a week and a half after that. Woohoo.

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Phew! That's it, notice I even pasted them in an order that would remain consistent with the way that livejournal is setup. Man... sometimes I even amaze myself...

Posted by Ben at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)