keep sharp

...or at least try.

Lynelle in the Sun

...aka Portrait of a Best Friend, edition 2. [See ed. 1 here.]

Lynelle in the Sun, originally uploaded by Secret Ultra M.

Kung Fu master, Master of Fine Arts, Lion Dancer, rescuer of kitties, and "that cute girl who works in the cigar shop." Would you ever guess any of this if you saw her? Probably not. Oh, and I forgot to mention that she is also one of the funniest, most warm-hearted and caring people in the world. Lucky me.

i made that

i made that, originally uploaded by Secret Ultra M.

tumors and mice

tumors and mice , originally uploaded by Secret Ultra M.

Yes, been readin' the ol' 1 Samuel...

Yonlu.

I've known of the album A Society In Which No Tear Is Shed is Inconceivably Mediocre…  by Yonlu for a little bit now, but was reminded of him tonight when a friend sent over some home-made music that was reminiscent of this.  Yonlu's music is more than deserving of a dedicated blog post...



It's already a pretty melancholic collection of home-made songs, but that is overshadowed by Yonlu's suicide at age 16.  Apparently, in a last note, he told his parents to listen to his music when they missed him.  Ugh. Heartbreak.

This is a really lovely album with some beautiful yet simple melodies, sound exploration, and hauntingly sad lyrics.  Take off your hat and give it a spin.

Psychological Suspense... Documentary?

Yes, folks, that is what the film Catfish is. It's a crazy story of a boy and girl falling for each other--over AIM and Facebook communications.  My jaw dropped (literally) several times whilst watching this film, and my emotions were taken on a wild ride.  It's one of the best directed psychological thrillers I have seen, and the only one that calls itself a documentary.

There is drama and much speculation as to how much the filmmakers knew while documenting the virtual relationship of the lead subjects.  There is such a controlled unfolding of details that it seems to be scripted--or at least anticipated and expected by the filmmakers.  Alas, even the most neutral documentary cannot escape the fact that it stands on some biased vantage point.  I am personally not too concerned with Catfish's manipulation of the story.  In fact, I think it is apropos.  Because of its calculated direction, the audience is swept into the emotions of the story, giving this cautionary tale a sharp hook.  At the end of it, you walk away with this little internet-age ethnography haunting your thoughts.