A few people have inquired about my current banner, wondering what those glowing little white creatures are from. The answer is: your mom.
Just kidding. The banner comes from a screenshot from the Hayao Miyazaki movie Princess Mononoke, which I'm crazy about. The scene that includes the shot I used for the banner is another one of those FAVORITE SCENES EVER IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA of mine (if I ever stop the hyperboles, you know I'm not feeling well). It actually marks the moment I fell in love with Miyazaki's work (up till then, I'd seen My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, but I was too dumb to realize their brilliance).
Anyway, you can watch the scene below. It's just sort of pretty, but slow-moving and maybe on the dull side, especially out of context. But of course it is: this is anime we're talking about!
(Download)
By now, my dilettante tendencies should be more than obvious. Said tendencies rage the most when it comes to Japanese animation -- I see only the popular stuff that makes it to theaters in the U.S., which means I'm into Miyazaki (Spirited Away is my favorite, which makes sense since it's the obvious choice), Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Metropolis and the like. This, in turn, means that I ran my ass out to see Paprika this weekend. It's a gorgeous film (the color palate is bright, but bold and not neon, which, while a minor distinction, was still cool for the format) and I liked it, but it overstayed its welcome. The plot concerns technology that allows people to control dreams, and setting anything in the dream world is just a recipe for chaos since anything fucking goes, including multiple climaxes. And these multiple climaxes were not of the impressive sort. I seriously thought that the shit was going to end 10 times before it actually did (since, again, anything goes and it could really drop off at any point, however obscurely it left the narrative since narrative was obscure in the first place since, I repeat, this shit was set in a dream world). But it's good and I'll totally buy the DVD.
Also, because I don't feel like writing a separate, self-celebrating post on this tomorrow, I may as well mention it now: tomorrow, my blog turns 2. [Edit: Because I didn't get my shit together to post what I wanted today, the "tomorrow" in the preceding sentence is now "today." So yay. Happy birthday to me.] Much of what I said in last year's first anniversary post holds true. I can now add that this blog has improved my quality of life via the job opportunities it's led to. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but that blows my mind every time I think about it. It makes the hours and hours of work that I have poured and will continue to pour into this thing financially worth it.
Not that it wasn't worth it in the first place. I'm still appreciative of the simple fact that I have a place to express myself. I'm still creatively stimulated, constantly seeking cultural crap to dissect. Mostly, I'm still overwhelmed with gratitude that people actually read this blog and leave me flattering comments I'm not sure I deserve and email me tips and suggestions and call me out when I'm a dick. I've never, not for a second, stopped being thankful for that.
Love you, for real.
Miyazaki is great. The glowing things always were cute, but the head rattle thing gives me the willies. Thanks for two years of making work a little more bearable.
Posted by: joe-back mountain | May 30, 2007 at 01:48 PM
Awwww. Happy 2nd! p.s. I LIVE for Miyazaki.
Posted by: ezra | May 30, 2007 at 01:49 PM
Thanks for not having too many garish adds!
Posted by: tuna | May 30, 2007 at 01:55 PM
Happy Anniversary!!!
I was introduced to your blog almost a year ago and I can honestly say my life has not been the same since:) I feel like you write exactly what I was thinking, but didn't know it. (hee) Anyways, keep up the great work. I will definitely keep coming back for more.
Love you, mean it!
Posted by: Tre | May 30, 2007 at 01:56 PM
Awwwwww, fourfour is twotwo! Congratulations on another brilliant year. Rich, not only do you entertain and enlighten me, you inspire me. You took something you love (Tyra! Bobby & Whitney!) dedicated time, love, pain and sweat (I'm getting Debbie Allen on you now) and created something wonderful that makes other people happy, makes you happy and has brought you success. You are a great example of what can happen when you share your gifts with the world by whatever means you have. All hail the internet and all hail Rich!
Posted by: mariaaaaa | May 30, 2007 at 01:59 PM
Rich I sincerelly say you are my favorite read on the web. :) Congrats!
Posted by: Claudea | May 30, 2007 at 02:10 PM
Love you back, for real. You, Winston, Rudy, Whitney & Bobby, Tyra, Heidi, New York, and all.
Posted by: Talix18 | May 30, 2007 at 02:41 PM
Congrats, and happy second birthday to your blog. You definitely enrich the lives of me and my friends with your wit and creativity. Thank you!
Posted by: Scott Free | May 30, 2007 at 02:50 PM
I LOVE Kiki's Delivery Service! It's actually probably the only Miyazaki piece that I've ever seen, but it's still great. I need to find it on DVD, bc VHS isn't hot on the streets anymore.
Happy 2nd Anniversary/Birthday! And congrats on all the success!
<3
Posted by: Keisha | May 30, 2007 at 02:53 PM
Happy Anniversary! I wish we could have a giant benefit/telethon for animal shelters (in honor of Winston!) We could get Whitney and Bobby to perform "Glasses, glasses", Swan to do "Where hair hair hair hair hair is love?" and have the ANTM girls look FIERCE while turning the pledge numbers a la Vanna White style.
Addicted to the blog, snicker to myself at work, remind me of things and places and songs I haven't thought of in years, get me to like long haired cats (always thought they were too high maintenence.) I wish you were straight every time you make me laugh out loud. Thanks for it all Rich.
Posted by: Leanne | May 30, 2007 at 02:59 PM
Hey Rich! I have a hankie in my pocket that has those little creatures on it _right now_! I bought it in Tokyo in 2002 at a Studio Ghibli shop. I was going to take a photo of it and send it to you, but it's probably smeared with boogers.
Happy 2nd anniversary! Still reading you every day!
Posted by: John R | May 30, 2007 at 03:08 PM
Celebrate good times c'mon!
but seriously you always have rad banners. mononoke is my fav. of his work and i also like Howl's moving castle but i failed to get into Spirited Away. AKIRA is my all time fav.
Posted by: dodger | May 30, 2007 at 03:28 PM
Have you seen Laputa: Castle in the Sky? It's one of my favorite Miyazaki movies. I was just watching Howl's Moving Castle last week and I had to keep pausing it and sometimes rewinding because some of the landscape scenes where just so breathtaking. It really makes me sad how all American animated movies have turned to computer graphics.
Posted by: nicolelaroche | May 30, 2007 at 03:38 PM
Happy birthday fourfour!
I think this is my favorite banner so far.
The clip is pretty insane, when they're [meaning, the little white creatures] all fucking rattling their heads...wonderful.
And am I hearing this wrong, or does the person say "I smell like human," upon putting the body down? As opposed to what, the elk you just got off of?
Posted by: Dani | May 30, 2007 at 03:45 PM
The clip was beautiful, and trippy/disturbing at the end there. Miyazaki is awesome, but I haven't seen this one yet. Now I will.
Posted by: Daniel | May 30, 2007 at 04:03 PM
I was pretty excited when you put up that banner! I love those little guys; they make me happy =D
Posted by: Cass | May 30, 2007 at 04:11 PM
Congrats! and I am in love with Miyazaki movies!
Posted by: Britt | May 30, 2007 at 04:27 PM
Happy anniversary, Rich! You are the wittiest person on the internets and I thank the Baby Jesus every time a new post from you pops up because you keep me from going insane! xx
Posted by: lisa | May 30, 2007 at 04:33 PM
Princess Mononoke was the first DVD I ever bought with my own money. The store clerk was like, "You sure, little girl?" and I was like, "RING IT UP NOW, OR DIE BY MY HAND."
Also, I think Living Dolls is on VH1 right now.
Posted by: Abby | May 30, 2007 at 04:47 PM
One weird thing about anime: watching the subtitled version versus the dubbed version. Which do you watch? I think it makes a big difference in the viewing experience. Although I don't necessarily prefer one over the other, it is like watching two separate movies.
Posted by: W.C. | May 30, 2007 at 05:05 PM
Ok, so TELL me you saw the post on TMZ (sometime this week) about Jaslene and her Seventeen interview. She's going for the whole "I was abused and I worked SO hard to get PAST that..." angle.
Hurling in my Manolos as we speak.
Posted by: Daniel | May 30, 2007 at 05:19 PM
Happy Anniversary! Love me some Miyazaki too.
I like Howl's moving castle and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
Kinda also like The Cat Returns that was produced by Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki.
I love anim(ated films)!
Posted by: trick please | May 30, 2007 at 05:39 PM
I theeeeenk that I've been reading this blog pretty much the entire 2 years... and for that, I pat myself on the back.
Oh, and I pat you on the back too for being nice, smart, funny, honest, open... you bestow me with more Showgirls references than I could dream of.
The only thing you've ever said that's made me a little sad in these entire two years is that you don't like Burlesque. And for all the shit you spew, that's a pretty flawless record. I appreciate viewpoints that don't challenge my own. ;)
Loves you. Wishes I knew ya. Although I kinda feels like I do.
The end.
Posted by: Megan | May 30, 2007 at 06:46 PM
those little spirit things are called kokoro (someone may have posted this already... i didn't read the other comments)
did anyone else notice what cute little butts they have? ^_^ i love those things
Posted by: Randomnobody | May 30, 2007 at 07:06 PM
those little spirit things are called kokoro (someone may have posted this already... i didn't read the other comments)
did anyone else notice what cute little butts they have? ^_^ i love those things
Posted by: Randomnobody | May 30, 2007 at 07:07 PM