EVERYBODY NEEDS A THRILL

I've been feeling a little out of sorts lately - a little out of control which, for someone like me, goes a long way to sending me spiralling into chaos.

So I'm feeling kind of perturbed by life, the future, the past, whatever, driving from S.F. back home to Oakland and rocking Ghostface's new CD...and suddenly, I'm feeling better. Pretty Toney isn't perfect, but it's hard to not just feel his passion on songs like "Holla," get down with the insane party vibe of "Ghostface," spark some nostalgia on "Tooken Back," and run with "Run," the most exciting song in as long as I can remember.

But midway through, I just needed something else in my system so I switched to Prince and played "Pop Life" and for about 3 minutes, the universe was perfect. I mean, I couldn't have felt better in that moment. And it ended, as these moments always do, but I am reminded of how thankful I am of music and its power to just infuse your life with meaning and wonder in the times when you need both the most.

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Speaking of stuff I like, apart from Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind, this new Thai film, Last Life in the Universe is the best movie I've been lucky to watch. It screened at the San Francisco Int'l Film Festival and is currently making its way through other festivals, due out for wider release in the U.S. in September. It's not an easy film to describe except that the story is focused on the relationship between an introverted Japanese librarian living in Bangkok and a Thai hostess he meets under unusual circumstances.

Imagine a film that incorporates similar elements to why people liked Lost in Translation and In the Mood For Love so much and then imagine the film being better than both (especially the ridiculously overrated Lost in Translation). Keep in mind that Christopher Doyle is cinematographer for Last Life (as he was on In the Mood) and the two films are very different in their visual style but the emotional depth of his camera work is ever-present in both. Seriously, this is a beautiful, touching, funny film. Loved it.

JUST ADDED: Lord of the Rings Rap. I think this is awesome. Despite myself.
(credit: Intellectual Hip-Hop Commentary)

Just to mention it but coming soon: Imaginasian TV?
(credit: Angryasianman.com)

Shii-Ann is my MFin' girl. She won't last more than another week or so, but screw it, she represented like a souljah tonight PLUS she was popping mad shit. Roll on!

Real shit: North Korean train accident may have caused 3,000 casualties. The Wizard can't hide in Oz forever.

More realness:

Photographer gets fired for releasing photo of American coffins bound for home from Iraq. The image is indelible, regardless of your position on the politics of publishing it.
(credit: Different Kitchen)

And one more from the real: My home campus of UC Berkeley enrolled 30% fewer African American students for Fall 2004 than last year. This won't be the last we hear about this.