SPECIAL REPORT: Sony

Wow, that went pretty well! If I sound like I'm repeating myself, it's because the Sony screening was just as much of a success as the Vallejo one. And like Vallejo, you'll have to wait for video to see the good stuff.

Highlights include a live Q & A with the pregnant (!!!) Sonja Lyubomirsky and motivational speaker Michael Pritchard. Also, the picture quality was absolutely gorgeous, which I would hope for in a projection system tied directly to Sony's computer production. The film played just as well to the movie industry crowd as to the Vallejo crowd, with much laughter and standing ovation a-plenty.

And we sold out of DVDs again!

Kevin and Adrian setting up a video camera

Alex and Roko setting up a water pump

Setting up food tables for the reception

Adrian eating everything and ruining the party. No, I kid, I kid!

Supper Zaniness

I swear, I just had the weirdest, craziest, most amazing supper I've had in months. The honk only played a minor portion in the dealings, hair was flying in all directions, I facepalmed too many times to count, and three rabbits were sighted during the meal. Not to mention two of my siblings licked my hands after the meal. I was trying to keep them from spoiling the movie we're about to watch! I need chocolate.

~God Bless~

A Different Kind Of Christmas

Last night, I read Squeak's post about Manafest. (Hey, Leauphaun, I think I may have found someone who likes Manafest as much as you do.) And that reminded me: I haven't posted anything on music in a while, nor have I even mentioned Christmas. Seeing as I haven't been consistently blogging the past month or two (or five), I figured it was probably time to do another post.

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know that I mostly listen to the rock/hard rock/metal genre. Therefore, it shouldn't surprise you too much if I tell you that I don't really like traditional Christmas music. Shocking, huh? The songs themselves are nice, but a full month of Christmas music for the past seven years (that's when I really discovered the artists behind the music) is way too much for me.

But something interesting happened last year (or was it two years ago?); I began listening to the online station ChristianRock.net. Out of the four stations, rock, hard rock, hip-hop and power praise, only the rock has Christmas music playing (in between all the other, regular music). I've heard some interesting -- though sometimes old -- Christmas songs through it.

I haven't listened to ChristainRock.net nearly as much this year as I did the previous two years, but sometimes I'll be bored with my own music and click it on, just to see what's playing and if any new songs have been added. I discovered that the Christmas music is back, but they've added some new songs from last year. Here are my two favorites:




I bought both songs on November 27th after only listening to them each once, then played them the next day while getting supper ready. My mom then had me play it at least another four times that day. Since then, I'm fairly certain she's listened to it over 25 times herself. Oh, did I mention my mom really doesn't like the cold/snow/snowboarding(hint, Leauphaun, hint)/pretty much anything to do with winter?

Personally, I enjoy The Wind better, even though I usually chuckle my way through the song. No, really, I do.

Ooooh, I just received an Icy Square from my mother. Thanks, Mom! I'd play Heat Miser for you (even though she's listened to it three times herself today), but my iPod's charging.

While I enjoy my wonderful chocolaty treat, here's another song, instrumental this time:

Last year, I bought August Burns Red's "Carol of the Bells," but I think I like this song better. O Come, O Come Emmanuel has been one of my favorite Christmas songs for years. Now I like it even more.

Sorry if this post rambles a bit, but I'm not in the mood to go back and clarify things. If you're utterly lost as of reading this, just listen to the music. Trust me.


Oh, and for those of you that don't like the heat, check out FM Static's "Snow Miser." Not that I'm recommending the song or anything -- I personally can't stand FM Static, nor can I figure out how Trevor can be in two totally different bands (TFK and FM Static). *blinks in confusion*

Now if only I could find some Skillet Christmas songs. . . Haha, or War Of Ages. That would be interesting.

~God Bless~

SPECIAL REPORT: The Vallejo Screening

Wow, that went pretty well! HAPPY played like gangbusters in yesterday's nearly sold-out screening. The Empress Theatre is a beautiful place to show a movie and has a wonderful staff. Unfortunately, it is rather low light, being a movie theater and all, so I didn't get as many great pictures as I would have liked. I also missed the entire Q & A because I was setting up our DVD and T-shirt store in the lobby, but video is forthcoming!

ALL of these DVDs, plus one or two more boxes full, were sold by the end of the screening!

At the theater. From right:  Roko Belic, Richard Freedman (the man responsible for setting up and publicizing the screening), and Adrian Belic

One of the projectors

Roko doing brightness and contrast adjustments before the show

People lining up outside the theater

Next up, Sony Studios!

SPECIAL REPORT: Screening of HAPPY in Vallejo, California!

The Empress Theatre. From the California State Library.

Yo, wanna see a movie with Roko Belic and me? Then come to Vallejo, California on Sunday! We'll be at the Empress Theatre at 1 p.m. to show HAPPY. Tickets cost $10, plus a $2 preservation fee for the theatre itself, for a total of $12. We prefer that you buy tickets online, so go here to do that.

Roko will answer questions at the screening, or just sit around and talk if you want. We'd like to thank our friend Richard Freedman at the Times-Herald for setting up this whole event. You can read his article about Roko and the movie here.

Don't know where the theatre is? Look at this map:



330 Virginia Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 552-2400

This looks to be even better than our screening in San Francisco! See you there!

Plitvice Waterfalls The Beautiful fall in the World

Waterfall located at The Lakes Plitvice, it can not be imagined as Niagara waterfall. This is is a national park in the highlands of the eponymous Plitvice, Croatia, to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sixteen separate lakes (clusters of 12 lakes and clusters below 4 lakes), composed tiered naturally start from a height of 636 m to 503 m. Water coming out of the lake is the lowest form Korana river.
Plitvice Lakes which is located on the basin karstic rock, mainly dolomite and limestone, which form the special features. The lake is naturally fragmented by dams travertine, which is a deposit of moss, algae and bacteria. Formation of travertine dams increases about about 1 cm per year. The lake is also famous for its color changes, ranging from sky blue, green, blue or gray. These color changes depending on the amount of minerals or organisms in the water and sun elevation.
Park has been listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1979. Opertion After the Storm, UNESCO listed the park is in the status of 'danger' on the List of World Heritage in Danger. With a variety of considerations, the Croatian government set the status of de-mining Efforts. In December 1998 UNESCO issued a list of endangered sites. On this day, Plitvice Lakes are one of the largest tourist attractions in Croatia. In 2000, the park has been expanded by over 102 km ².

Luxembourg Conducts Its Own Tiny Happiness Survey

From Wikipedia.

Yes, according to 352 Lux Mag, one of the smallest countries in the world now has happiness data. The survey was performed by statisticians CEPS/INSTEAD and focused on the effects of health and money on happiness.

The article is unclear on the details of the study, but apparently 33% of Luxembourgians living in houses without proper facilities are unhappy. Unemployment is also a source of unhappiness, with 25% of the jobless reporting a score of "miserable." The happiest people were those in families with two or more children, reporting 97% happiness, though I don't know if that refers to the parents or the children. Single parents are apparently a dour lot, with only 15% happiness.

These statistics are rather suspect, but maybe the study itself does a better job of explaining them. If you know French, you can read it here. Maybe Luxembourgians just really like kids? I don't know, but I have a hard time believing that 97% of families with two or more children are happy. Most research shows that children DECREASE happiness (though to what degree is in some dispute).

The parts about money seem better founded, though. Most researchers agree that money in an important part of happiness for the impoverished, but in the middle class and beyond, money's effect on longterm happiness decreases significantly (but maybe even that is incorrect). You can read more about positive psychology's on-again, off-again relationship with money in these fabulous blog entries.