Project Office / Game / Guest Room

As some of you may know, my brother (and later, good friend, Lisa) moved out of my little two bedroom condo leaving me with a spare room...  An empty canvas to do whatever I please.  I've always envisioned having a room dedicated to being either an office, gaming, or guest room.  Currently, the room functions as a guest room or if I'm too drunk to make it 5 more ft. to my own room (that rarely ever happens, by the way).

After some great advice from my friend Vince, I finally found a desk that I think would work great!

The Deluxe Loft-style L-shaped Computer Desk - about $250

You can get it at Overstock.com - Link here:  http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Deluxe-Loft-style-L-shaped-Computer-Desk/3187825/product.html?rcmndsrc=2

Here are some pictures of what the room looks like now:

Yes, that would be Lord of the Rings and the Rat Pack

Another "upgrade" I want to do to the condo, is install California Shutters... I think they look awesome!

I'm also looking for a good futon that can be pulled out to be a bed; hence, the optional guest room function...

Next, and, the hardest part in my opinion, is the decision of color...  

To quote my little sister Jessica:

 "Red, orange and yellow are too busy..  They're considered aggravating in a long term sense.  Purples and blues may be too overwhelming considering you have less light that pours into that room.  You have too much browns.. I would say greens or even possibly grays then hang your photos at the zoo or something for contrast."

Needless to say, I think my family has a little interior decorator.  And what's up with the too much brown comment?  So I like earth tones...  I'll be sure to consult her "professional" opinion in the future.  Haha!  For those that know me... You'd think I'd be good at this.  Where are these so called "inherent" traits I'm supposed to, magically, possess?  Here are some colors, I've settled on... At least for now:

My Thoughts on William Shatner's - The Captains

When I first heard that William Shatner was doing a film about all the captains in the Star Trek franchise, I was super excited and immediately set out to find a medium to watch it: streaming, Amazon download, iTunes, subscribing to EPIX, but... to no avail.  EPIX wasn't offered thru my cable company, so I had to wait till it came out on DVD or Blue Ray.  The other night, however, I was browsing through Netflix and found the film available!  A rare thank you to Netflix for actually doing something right!

My take aways from watching the film:

• I'd love to just sit and listen to Kate Mulgrew and Patrick Stewart talk about their lives
• Avery Brooks operates on another plane -- He is totally out there!  I get the jazz and I get how he explains things thru music and ambiguity, but man.. He was hard to follow
• A tremendous respect (more so than before) for English and Drama teachers.  Almost all the actors said their passion for being on stage/camera can be traced back to their English or Drama teachers.  This just, again, reinforces the level of respect I have for people in the educational field.  They get paid crap, but their impact on the world is huge... To teachers out there: you never know if you'll be the one to inspire the next Patrick Stewart, Steve Jobs, Yo-Yo Ma, or Wynton Marsalis
• Lastly, a quote by Socrates best sums the film "The unexamined life is not worth living."  It was great to see the depth of examination William Shatner had on his life and his journey to resolution and contentment

This film dug real deep into all the actor's lives, especially Patrick Stewart, Kate Mulgrew, and William Shatner.  There's something about Star Trek that is so appealing to me above, the most notable "rival", Star Wars.  Every single actor brought with them a background and training in classical theater that just added to the show's appeal.  Shakespeare. Broadway.  And if you've seen Star Trek, you can clearly see the love for the classics.

I remember having to read Shakespeare's Hamlet in high school...  We also read another take on Hamlet, but from the perspectives of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  I forget the title.  It was really hard to find an appreciation for it, as a kid that was more interested in playing trumpet and designing websites for fun...  This time, I think I'd love to have the opportunity to read it again.

Question is... Digital or paper?  Perhaps, narrated by someone that really understands the material?  We'll see...

Do Something That Scares You - London 2012

"Do something each day that scares you..."  A quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, and something my friend Shawn told me, as he left for the rest of his world travels.  It left me thinking about my life... In fact, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life this trimester; especially because of this leadership class I'm currently enrolled.  The professor has us doing a lot of introspective examination -- something I'm only now fully appreciating.

I'm 28 (ugh! two more years till the big 3-0) years old and nearly finished with my MBA program, and I've come to the realization to how little I've experienced the world.  Everyone seems to tell me how I should be proud of all my accomplishments: a good career, a mortgage...  I'm just missing the other two M's - matrimony and maternity.  Well, I'm not quite sure that's going to be happening anytime soon!  Don't get me wrong, I recognize my blessings and thank God for them everyday.  I just feel like I'm missing out on a lot...

I've been doing a lot of thinking around what I really want in my life: career, perspective, achievement, fulfillment... someone to love.

So, in an attempt to do something COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone and something that ABSOLUTELY terrifies me is to travel... ALONE!  Not a big deal to some people, but for me... It's like jumping out of a plane (something that I actually wouldn't mind doing).  Imagine that... I'd rather jump out of a plane than travel to a foreign country alone.

Where to, you ask? London!

London

I've always wanted to visit London.  I think it has a lot to do with my love for JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.  Nevertheless, I am nervous, scared, but really excited.

I'll be in London July 21-28th.  Just in time to, perhaps, experience the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics!  Fortunately, all the traveling and working in LA has paid off as I have enough Hilton points to cover most, if not the entirety, of my stay.  I'll be staying at the Courthouse DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London on Regent Street.  An absolutely AMAZING looking hotel which was, apparently, a jail or courthouse back in the day.

I still need to find accommodations for a portion of my stay; fortunately, I have a friend that's a hotel manager that is assisting me with my search.  Until then, I'll be doing a lot of research and planning of activities. I have a lot of "must-sees" so, hopefully, I can squeeze them in!

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment!

~~~
On another note...
The business simulation class is FINALLY over and I'll have a little more time to spend on my blogs.

I'll still be writing comic reviews here and there.  Most of my initial reviews were just to cover the #1 issues of DC Comic's new 52.

Please visit Shawn's blog: http://rockyontheroad.wordpress.com/.  He's a daring, interesting, fun, and courageous friend that's embarking on an amazing world tour!  I'm super jealous of where he's been and where he's going.  Definitely someone that has motivated and inspired me to...  Just do it.  Just travel and have fun doing it...

Also, subscribe to my good friend Natasha's blog: http://www.inlovewithsandiego.com/.  She, too, played a big role in me booking my trip.  In her own words, "Doooooo iitttttt." Hah

New 52! The Flash #1 Review

So if you're new to my blog, you should click on the Comic link above to see more reviews and read a little about myself.  I'm a relatively new comic book reader; that is, to regularly buy comics each week and follow multiple characters...  I've traditionally been a Green Lantern type of person.

Written by: Francis Manapul
Art by: Brian Buccellato

So, I have to admit that I really don't know a whole lot about The Flash.  I knew he was struck by lightning, but I didn't know that he taps into an energy called The Speed Force.  I remember watching a television show about The Flash about a scientist that ran really fast and ate a lot of food... No ring (from what I remember) and no magically appearing costumes.

Anyway...

I absolutely loved this comic!  The comic gave me a really good introduction to Barry Allen aka The Flash.  I'm also in love with Brian Buccellato's art!  All I can say is, Barry Allen can be easily played by some good looking celebrity (blond) and make an awesome movie!

While on date at a museum, Barry Allen finds himself in the middle of a robbery.  In super hero fashion, he makes a quick exit to change into The Flash and kick some serious tail.  The robbers are after an experimental device called a genome re-coder.  Amidst all the action, one of the robbers is a killed (or is he?) and is later revealed to be an old school friend of Barry.

Barry becomes a little obsessed to find out what really happened to his friend and how he really died when *poof* Manual enters the scene.  Alive?!

Francis did a fantastic job in his storytelling and gave me enough of a "hook" to buy the next issue.

~

Side note:  I really need to figure out which comics I'm going to dedicate my budget to because I'm pretty sure I can't keep up with this volume of comics.  I have to say that it's become pretty difficult to narrow down the few comics that I want to read every week.

Writing: 9/10
Art: 10/10
Storytelling: 9/10

Overall:  9.33/10

New 52! Green Lantern New Guardians #1 Review

Written by: Tony Bedard
Art by: Tyler Kirkham

I was somewhat skeptical when I first bought Green Lantern New Guardians.  I thought it was going to be some cheesy spin off where DC was milking the Green Lantern series for all its recent successes: movies, Blackest Night, etc.

I was proved wrong...

[minor spoiler]

I'm a little confused as to when this comic actually takes place.  I can't tell if it's before or after the new 52 Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps... I'm going to assume before because, both, Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps refer to Kyle Rayner being around...  And the comic starts out with  a retelling of Kyle Rayner (my favorite Green Lantern) and how he is inducted into the Green Latnern corps by Ganthet, the last surviving Guardian of the Universe.  If you are familiar with the pre-new 52 story, Kyle Rayner is inducted into the corps and ends up saving the Green Lantern corps after Hal Jordan completely destroys everything.

Even though the story spans across several different worlds, it's pretty easy to follow.  The story really gets interesting as a lantern from each of the emotional spectrums is decommissioned and each ring  makes it way towards Sector 2814 aka Earth.  After saving people from a construction accident, the rings show up, all saying "Kyle Rayner you have been chosen."

I'm not quite sure what the writer is saying here...  Kyle Rayner is chosen to wear ALL the colors of the emotional spectrum?  Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet... Rainbow colors... Kyle Rayner... Hey now! *snaps*

Tony Bedard does a really good job alluding to each world and previous green lanterns without being too wordy or concerned with the details.  It's perfect.  Tyler Kirkham's art is amazing, except for, where are the Blue lanterns?  You see almost every other corps except them... I guess we'll see!

I'm definitely getting issue #2

Writing: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Storytelling: 10/10

Overall: 9.33/10

New 52! Superman #1 Review

Written by: George Perez
Art by: Jesus Merino

This is a really hard review for me to write.  As a general rule of thumb, I don't like going into every detail about what happened on every page of each comic.  #1 - I just don't have time for that and #2 - I believe a person should discover and read the comic themselves and form their own opinion... And that's the whole point of the comic section of my blog.  It's just my opinion.  And like my Pastor always says, "my opinion doesn't mean anything."

From what I know, George Perez is an old school writer and that was definitely apparent in this issue.  There were a lot of throw backs to the old Superman comics: faster than a speeding bullet, this looks like a job for Superman, etc.

There was A LOT going on in this comic, looking at it from a narrative perspective.  From inner-monologues, to chatter, to an actual narrator describing what Superman is thinking.  For me, personally, it felt unnecessary.

There really isn't an overall story arc except for the Daily Planet upgrade to the Planet Global Network and the usual push-n-pull Louis Lane and Clark Kent relationship.

In a time where audiences love continuous story arcs (i.e. Star Trek original series vs Star Trek DS9 and Voyager), I felt that as a New 52 - where the business model is to pull in new readers - this was definitely a homage to old school comic books.  Let's put Superman in a pretty bad situation and see him fight / think his way out...  I hope Superman doesn't become an episodic series of Superman vs bad number X.

I'm really torn on this one...  I might have to read the next issue to really see how I feel about Superman.  I may just have to stick with Action Comics.

Writing: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Storytelling: 8/10

Overall: 8.67/10

New 52! Aquaman #1 Review

Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Ivan Reis

Aquaman!?  The one character that I think everyone has made fun of at one point or another.  He's usually the punchline of some joke and not many people would consider him a bad ass superhero.  How do you  make someone like this cool?  There was going to be a television show (similar to Smallville) about Aquaman, but that got squished pretty quick.  If there are two people that could do it, it's probably Geoff Johns (Squee!)  and Ivan Reis!  You might be familiar with some of their work: Green Lantern, Brightest Day, Blackest Night...

Geoff Johns quickly uses the "uncool" factor to introduce some humor into the comic and  Ivan Reis does a great job capturing the smirk and shock on the faces of people when Aquaman enters the scene.  It's pretty much, "what the "bleep" is this guy doing here? There's no water or fish around... Bye bye tuna-man"  Even after saving the day, the police still poke jokes, "need a glass of water?" Haha!  I'm really loving this!

My verdict:  I am really into Aquaman!  Really good story: it's funny, great back story, and I can't wait to read what happens with the nasty creatures that have shown up.  I highly recommend you grab a copy!

Writing: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Storytelling: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

Geoff Johns has done it again :)

New 52! Batman #1 Review

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Greg Capullo

Again, this is my first Batman comic book ever bought off the shelf.  I'm almost hesitant to be buying so many of these comics!  I'm afraid I'll get too hooked to too many stories!  Is that even possible?

Anyway, I am an instant fan of team Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo!  I am almost upset that I didn't jump on their band wagon a long time ago!

I read Nightwing before this, and not to give anything away, but the last page left me wanting more.  I can tell that Batman is going to be an issue that I will absolutely fall in love with.  One thing that did come as a shock for me was (remember I'm relatively new to these series of comics... I'm a Green Lantern type of guy) seeing all the Robins in one room: Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne.  I really only know the backstory of Dick Grayson, so I'm hoping for a little back story on Tim and Damian.  I may just stick with Batman instead of getting Batman & Robin...  Scott Snyder just pulled me in with that ending... Especially after reading Nightwing!  I was like... Whhhuuuuut!!??

(Why not both, Carl? We'll see...)

I also heard somewhere that Bruce Wayne died or that he was just gone for a little bit?  They alluded to that a little bit in Blackest Night and Nightwing... I was always a little confused by that...  Well anyway... I'm sure it'll clear up sometime.  If someone wants to write me about that whole backstory, please fill me in.  Otherwise, this new 52 has a new serious Batman fan.  Which is totally fitting: Green Lantern and Batman always seem to be paired up somehow.

Writing: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Storytelling: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Loved loved loved!

New 52! Nightwing Review #1

Better late than never, I guess.  If you've been following my blog, you've probably read how busy I am with school and work.  Sorry about being a little late, I'll try to catch up this weekend!

Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Eddy Barrows

This is officially the very first Nightwing comic I've ever read, let alone bought off the shelves of my local comic book store.  I've read other reviews and people have stated that it was a little bit on the boring side; however, I would argue that it was perfect for a new reader.  That's the whole point of the new 52 -- attract new readers.

Nightwing #1 provided a lot of background for me to understand that the original Robin, Dick Grayson, is now flying solo.  I know, I know... Veteran readers would probably ask me if I've been living under a rock...  But just like my reviews: better late than never! Haha!

Kyle Higgins does a really good job telling the back story of how Dick Grayson went from circus boy, to Robin, to Nightwing.  Really that's pretty much what this issue was about... backstory.  I enjoyed Eddy Barrows' art and I think I'll definitely pick up the next issue.  One thing I do want to know is... I thought Nightwing's colors were blue and black?  I'm curious why they decided on a color change...  There's Robin, Red Robin from Teen Titans, and Nightwing...  Perhaps, this is an homage to those colors?  It didn't bother me much, but I know a lot of readers were kind of upset with the color change: think Batman and Robin movies with Arnold...  A movie that some fans, would like to forget...

Thank you DC.  You've given me, yet, another story to get hung up on.

Writing: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Storytelling 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Operational Report Complete and Migraines

What an absolutely crazy week this has been!  I am utterly spent and have the worst migraine...

This week, I had to be up in Anaheim, CA for work.  Round 23 of regression testing for a new version of software we're rolling out.  Regression testing is a little more intense than your typical system or unit testing...  Regression testing looks at every single nook and cranny to make sure nothing has broke as a result of some new code (this usually isn't the case!  You fix something, you break something).

On top of it all, our operational report for this business simulation class was due today.  So, this past week I've been up till 3am pouring over financial reports, ratio analyses, sales forecasts, R&D and operational goals, and tons of writing!  I'm pretty proud of our 15 page report.  My team did a pretty awesome job, so I'm pretty blessed to be working with them.

But... I am spent.  Time to get some much needed sleep.

On another note, the passing of Steve Jobs didn't help much.  For some people, his passing was like the passing of Michael Jackson for many people.  I have to say... I was a little depressed on Wednesday.

I know I'm behind on my comic reviews, but don't worry!  This week I'll be catching up on that.  Batman and Nightwing are probably two of my new favorite comics (I got in some comic book reading while trying to nap in my car before class)

Blog with you soon!

New 52! Green Lantern Corps #1 Review

Written by: Peter J. Tomasi
Art by: Fernando Pasarin

Green Lantern Corps, just like Green Lantern, wasn't a complete reboot.  This issue really revolved around Guy Gardner and John Stewart.  They mention Kyle Rayner, but he's no where to be seen.  For new readers, this might be really confusing.  Something I heard over and over when the Green Lantern movie came out was, "What the heck!?  Green Lantern is supposed to be a black dude."  More than likely, these people were used to seeing the Justice League cartoons on WB and Cartoon Network where John Stewart was the featured Green Lantern.

Similar to that scenario... I feel like new readers would be like, "What the heck?!  Since when were there so many Green Lanterns?  Screw this... It's confusing." 

To that end, I feel like the comic could have gone through a little more explanation on the origins of Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner.  Instead, the comic tells the story of a mysterious bad guy killing off Green Lanterns and how Gardner and Stewart try to "fit" or deal with everyday life.  The problem I have with this scenario is that it isn't consistent with the world Justice League #1 set up.  People are supposed to be afraid of these super heroes, not wanting to see displays of their abilities... Then again, maybe this series is supposed to take place another time?  Or I think JL is a flashback?  I forget... Anyway!

Story is pretty exciting.  It's a space adventure.  What, I think, the Green Lantern movie should have been.  Writing is fun.  Art, specifically the coloring, could be better but worked...

Writing: 9/10
Art:  7.5/10
Storytelling: 8/10

Overall: 8.17/10

New 52! Batman and Robin #1 Review

Writen by: Peter J. Tomasi
Art by: Patrick Gleason


School work is absolutely killing me!  As CFO, the amount of work  needed for this business simulation is insane.  The part that makes me upset is that the business policy game manual continues to reference pro-forma spreadsheets that were never supplied to us!


Anyway off to the review...


~~
This is another title that never really got completely rebooted, based on my little knowledge of Batman and Robin.  I say this because Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne's son, plays Robin.  Obvious reasons being that if they completely rebooted Batman and Robin, there would be no Nightwing, right?


Anyway, there is nothing very revealing about this first issue except for a creepy bad guy that has his sights on Bruce Wayne.  Batman "celebrates" his parents death, giving the reader a little back story on Bruce Wayne and how his parents were murdered in front of him; thus, eventually spawning Batman.  Batman takes his son to spot in which they were killed (via sewers?  not sure why) and vows a new outlook on life: to celebrate their life (not their death).


My reaction?  Batman is a little bit of a sissy and Robin is a total jackass to his father.  Robin doesn't seem to have any respect for his father and Batman turned into an over-protective father.  For a 10 year old kid, he's given a very rebellious attitude that a teenager would have... He wants to do things his way and bum-rush bad guys with brute force -- usually not a good idea.


I suppose this comic was really to lay the ground work for the type of relationship Batman and Robin (father and son) have with each other.  It's not pretty.


I've read different perspectives on this comic... Some people felt Batman was a total douche to Robin...  Me?  I think Robin is an over confident little punk that probably should listen to his father a little more.


Writing: 9/10
Art: 10/10 (I love Patrick Gleason!  I'm a little biased because he drew a sketch of Kyle Rayner for me at Comic Con 2010)
Storytelling: 8/10


Overall: 9/10


I'm pretty sure that I will be picking up the next issue!

New 52! Green Lantern #1 Review

It's new comic-book Wednesday, and I'm behind a couple of reviews!  Sorry about that.  Things with school are starting to get pretty hectic; especially with this simulation class.

---

Written by: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke

If you know me, then you probably know that Green Lantern is and has been my favorite super hero since I was a little kid.  I have no idea why...  He just appeals me.  Something about rings, I guess.

So far out of all the new 52 comics that I've read Green Lantern didn't feel like a complete reboot.  At Comic Con, Jim Lee and company explained that the new 52 was going to give new readers, potentially people that have never bought a comic book in their life, the opportunity to join the band wagon.  [minor spoiler] In Green Lantern, the only thing that rebooted is the fact that Hal Jordan no longer has a ring and Sinestro is, once again, a Green Lantern (against his will).  The three other Green Lanterns that patrol Sector 2814 i.e. Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner still exist and will probably be featured in this week's Green Lantern Corps.

Since I've been following Green Lantern, it's not so much of a big deal to me.  I know the story... However, new readers won't get to experience or read about Abin Sur... Except for maybe a flash back, possibly?

Geoff John's writing is awesome, as to be expected.   Doug Mahnke's art is pretty cool too.  However, I think I've fallen in love with Felipe Massafera's art in Flashpoint Abin Sur series.

Writing: 10/10
Art: 9/10
Storytelling: 10/10

Overall: 9.67 / 10

Netflix / Qwikster The Half Apology

Many people woke up this morning to an e-mail from Co-Founder and CEO of Netflix Reed Hastings apologizing for the lack of communication regarding the price structure at Netflix (not the price hike)

The e-mail started quite plainly.

"I messed up.  I owe you an explanation."

I'm not finished with my MBA program, nor does an MBA qualify me as an expert in business whatsoever.  However, it's pretty safe to say that the decision to raise prices was probably not a decision that rested squarely on his shoulders.  It's nice to see that he is taking ownership.

The problem with his e-mail is that it was a half attempt at an apology. Essentially, it was a "yes-but". He made a mistake? And yet, he's justifying his said "mistake." I don't think many people view streaming and DVDs as a separate business. However, I think I know where he's going with this (which may be completely off base or naive of me to say).. In order to compete with Red Box, I think he's separating streaming and DVDs in order to have two management teams focused on each market segment. I smell a merger and acquisition in the future... Not sure if Qwikster side of the company has the cash flow to buy out Red Box but that would certainly be interesting!  Video game rentals sounds appealing to me, but that will definitely have to wait until after I finish my MBA.

Another Night at Lestat's

Today, I spent the day with my business simulation group at Pepperdine University in Orange County.  We had a really productive day organizing our thoughts, calculating financial ratios / sales forecasts, and putting together our game-plan for the simulation weekend.  We also put together a draft of our mission statement.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with our progress.  I worked with most of these folks in our Finance class, and we all seem to work together really well.  I'm definitely blessed to have them around!

It's 8:47pm and I'm back at Lestat's (west location on Park Ave) for another night of study and homework.  Bring on the coffee!

PS.  At this location, there are ridiculous throne chairs!  I wish the older guy would stop watching movies and let me sit there!  Oh and the Irish Monkey is delish!

Brunch at The Mission

This weekend, I went to The Mission in North Park for brunch. Aside from the 30 minute wait, the food was decently priced and Ah-Mazing! I had the Chicken Apple Sauce and Eggs with Cinnamon Toast!! Coffee was diner-delish and the orange juice was freshly squeezed. I highly recommend!

New 51! Red Lanterns #1 Review

Writer: Peter Milligan
Penciller: Ed Benes
Inker: Rob Hunter
Colorist: Nathan Eyring

I was first introduced to the Red Lanterns while I read through the Blackest Night series back in 2009 (has it really been that long?!).  Apparently, the first appearance of Red Lanterns was back in 2008 during the Green Lantern Sinestro Wars story arc.  I always thought that the emotional spectrum of lanterns was thought up during Blackest Night... See http://www.dccomics.com/sites/greenlantern/

Anyway...

Okay so this comic delves into a little more detail about the Red Lanterns and Atroticus, the first member of the Red Lantern Corps.  The comic gives some detail about how the Manhunters, controlled by Krona (a Guardian of the Universe), killed Atroticus' family along with his entire race.  The Manhunters were the Guardians first form of a galactic police force before creating the Green Lantern Corps (i.e. Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan).  Anyway, this left Atroticus in a deep rage that spawned the birth of the Red Lantern Corps.

As the leader of the Red Lanterns, Atroticus knows that he has to keep a certain level of toughness and rage in order to command obedience.  He senses that some of his followers seem to be questioning his "manliness" and abilities to lead.  Lead to what end..?  I guess they are vigilantes for people that want justice/revenge...?  I'm not quite sure yet...

For a first time reader: a lot of information... kind of confusing if you don't know anything about the Guardians, Green Lantern Corps, etc.

Of course, you most likely wouldn't buy this comic book unless you had some sort of familiarity with Green Lantern...

Anyway, I thought the story was just okay.  Kind of a slow start since most of the comic was spent as an introduction...  The art got a little better towards the end.  I might get issue #2 just to see how the story plays out, but not quite sure if I'll stick with this series.

Writing: 7/10
Art: 7/10
Storytelling: 6/10

Overall score: 6.67 (that's kind of interesting if you know the sector number of Ysmault)

Study Night at Lestat's

If I had to sum up my day today into one or two words, it would have to be "School Night."

Today, I met with Tyler, Sopa, and Carolina @ Pepperdine's Irvine campus to go over our presentation of Edward De Bono's book "Six Thinking Hats."  We have a skit that we are going to perform that is pretty hilarious.

Afterwards, I made my way to Lestat's coffee house off Adam's Ave in Normal Heights for a night of GSBM 670X.45 simulation work.  A new friend of mine, David, introduced me to this 24/7 coffee house.  The place has a very "hipster" vibe to it: non-matching furniture, various art pieces on the wall, an eclectic genre of music playing in the background, and lots of people reading, studying, and/or conversing.  Some people may find this type of environment very distracting, but for me it helps me focus.  More and more I'm finding it difficult to read and/or study in completely quiet environments.  I usually end up dozing off. I think I might have a little ADHD?

It's about 11:55pm and I got a lot done!  I calculated the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) for the starting point of our company.  Now that I've calculated this percentage, we just have to make sure that our Return on Investment is greater than this and we'll create value for our shareholders.

A Day With the Family

This weekend, my brother came to town to hang out with the family.  Since my brother moved to Las Vegas, it's been a rare occasion that all the Soriano kids are together with mom.

Today, the Soriano family and Grandma went to go visit my Grandfather.  We bought some flowers and trimmed the grass around his headstone.  The last time the whole family was together to see my Grandfather, was when he was buried.  It's still painful to see my Grandma so sad, and she told us how she missed her husband.  I love her so much.

Although the visit brought back many memories, it was really nice to be with my family and my Grandma.  Afterwards, we went to get some boba tea and my Grandma made dinner - arroz caldo, a filipino dish.  It's a comfort food of mine and reminds of when I was in elementary school.  Instead of walking home, I'd go to my Grandma's place for dinner.  Her cooking is the best and makes me feel at home.

The Crazy 10 Units!

This trimester, I'm taking 10 units towards my MBA at Pepperdine University:

• Organizational Dynamics and Managing Change
• Managerial Creativity and Innovation for Leadership
• Integration in Business Operations (aka Simulation)

Today was the start of the third class, simulation.  (Yes, I had class on a Saturday from 9am ~ 4pm).  Needless to say, I knew that this trimester was going to kick my butt.  This class is going require a lot of my time and energy.  The point of this class is to simulate the running of a business.  First, we have to put together a paper that pretty much describes how we're going to run the organization:

• How will we create value
• How will we manage the various operations such as inventory, etc
• How much money will we put towards R&D
• What kind of capital structure will our company operate with
• Will we offer dividends and how much

Stuff like that...  My initial feelings: overwhelmed, encumbered, frustrated, and kind of excited.  All of my classmates that have gone through the simulation tell me the same thing: it's a lot of work, it's not so bad, and the two day simulation is actually really fun.  Bad part.  I was nominated to be the CFO.  And I'm not a Finance guy (granted, I did  pretty good in Finance but still!! huff)

After we submit our operations plan, there is a two day simulation where we have to make a series of decisions:

• Increase dividends?  Build another plant?  Add additional lines?  Fire or hire workers?  What kind of quality and functionality do we want in our products?  For what market segments? etc. etc.

Based on these decisions, we receive feedback on how our company performed in the economic conditions the software imposes on our company.  We have to analyze the financial statements that get spit out, along with information on how the other teams (our competition) are doing as well.  It sounds like fun, but it's going to be a painful 6-8 weeks...

My other leadership classes are, luckily, pretty manageable.  No education-to-business projects or other huge projects.  Just a lot of reading...  Speaking of which... I think I have a couple of friends that would appreciate a review of some of the books we've been reading.  I think I'll put up a short review on CATS: The Nine Lives of Innovation, The Six Thinking Hats, Blink, and more...

Of course, I'll be taking my mental breaks... One good escape I've found is to write reviews on some comic books I'm following.  Yeah I know reading comics is a little "child-ish" but it's always been something that interests me and gives me a mental escape from my busy lifestyle.  Plus, writing reviews is a good writing exercise!  Reading and writing more will undoubtedly be a benefit...

Wish me luck!!

New 52! Superman Action Comics #1 Review

Written by: Grant Morrison
Art by: Rags Morales and Rick Bryant
Variant cover art by: Jim Lee (Squee!) and Scott Williams

So I purchased the variant cover of this comic, and am totally blown away...  Jim Lee and Scott Williams are simply amazing.
---

Before this comic came out, there was one thing that I was told to expect, or at least... what not to expect:  Superman isn't the same person.  Oh and a new costume.

DC Comics proudly presents: Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow.

[minor spoilers]

In the first few pages, we get a good feel for Superman.  He isn't the man in blue tights (yet?) but a guy in a Superman t-shirt, jeans, and red cape.  He stands for justice, as he wants the law to work the same for everyone: the rich and the poor.  That sounds pretty much like the Superman I'm used to; except, this time he's kind of an arrogant and stuck-up douche.  A good guy but he toys with the police officers that try to capture him.  And he does it with a smile...

Later, we find Luthor aiding the US Army in the capture of Superman (or "it" as they sometimes refer him), and based on their conversation, Superman seems to be slowly discovering his abilities: jumping long distances, speed, strength... etc.  In Luthor fashion, he attempts to capture Superman by also putting innocent lives on the line: from demolishing buildings and sending a bullet-train out of control with Louis Lane and Jimmy Olsen on board.

This definitely felt like an homage to older Superman comics, and was a great way introduce old, familiar characters.  Great story and I'm looking forward to more!

Writing: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Storytelling: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

New 52! Batwing #1 Review

To comic book enthusiasts,

Please don't hurt me.  I have NO idea who Batwing is, but I guess that's the whole idea behind this reboot, right?  To attract new readers... So, here's my review of Batwing #1.

When I first saw the comic on the shelf, I thought to myself, "So, is this a spin-off character from the Batman series?  Is this a futuristic Batman in a different world?  Kinda like the half Latino, half African-American Spiderman?"

I was sort of wrong... and sort of right...

---

As I turned the front-cover, I was blown away by the art.  Ben Oliver is amazing! 

DC Comics proudly presents Batwing, in, The Cradle of Civilization.  Here we go...

The first quarter of the comic was amazing.  Judd Winick does a masterful job in quickly explaining the origins of Batwing.  From what I can gather, Batwing is Batman's counter part in Africa.  Batman seems to be assisting Batwing in creating an "image" for himself in Africa.  Same modus operandi as Batman, i.e. fear. 

Later we learn that David Zavimbe, an officer in the Tinasha Police Department is the man behind the mask.  He has a high opinion about the state of Tinasha, but keeps a low profile behind a desk.  humm.. Clark Kent-ish?  As Batwing, he leaves clues to lead the Tinasha police force to the master minds behind the criminal activities that have plagued the city.

Everyone knows Batman's secret headquarters... The Batcave.  For Batwing, it's The Haven.  And Batman's butler?  Alfred.  For Batwing.  Matu Ba.  Okay so is this just Batman in Africa?

Whatever the case... The comic ends with a total cliff-hanger!

I have to say... I was really skeptical when I picked up this comic, but I am pleasantly surprised at how good it really turned out!  I don't want to say that this series is a means to include minorities... Heck, I feel like there aren't enough Asian super heroes.  I really encourage you to give Batwing a chance...  Judd Winick is a great a writer and Ben Oliver is a talented artist!  I'm a fan!

Writing: 9/10
Art: 10/10
Storytelling: 9/10.  I couldn't tell if Massacre or Batwing beheaded the criminals.

Overall: 9.33

New 52! Green Arrow #1 Review

[may contain minor spoilers]

Okay, so Green Arrow is a character I pretty much know nothing about... Except for what I've seen on the TV series Smalleville and various appearances in Green Lantern comics.  I know the guy is supposed to be really rich, similar to Bruce Wayne aka Batman.  So, let's see how this comic turns out...

Oliver Queen, or the Green Arrow, is tracking down some "celebrity" criminals instead of being at an important executive meeting in which the future of his company Queen Industries is being decided.  Queen seems like he has (or at least should have) an active role in his company.

Most Superheros seem to operate solo, but in Green Arrow's case, he has a little team that's looking over his shoulder and helping him along the way.  Green Arrow, similar to Batman, has a lot of toys.. Arrows that he shoots with a collapsible bow that have specific functions.  (How he knows what kind of arrow he's pulling from his quiver is beyond me... Muscle memory?)  From arrows that stun bad guys to arrows that get shot into computer systems without damaging any of the hardware and establish remote connections that his team can then hax0r.  Um...  Realistic?  Of course not... Neat idea?  Love it... Where can I get one?

Writing.  This comic pretty much embodies how I imagine comic book narratives.  Action packed scenes with the cheeky conversations...

Y'know, the scenes where the protagonist says, "why don't you take a seat?!" as he flings a chair at said bad guy that ends up sitting in said chair?

"You're not a punk.  You're worse.  You're a loser."  Remember kids... Don't do drugs!  D.A.R.E.

Now, I know comic books are generally targeted to younger audiences.  But I think the kids these days have graduated from using words like punk... Which by the way...  Don't ever use that word in prison.  It spells a lot of trouble, apparently...

One thing Green Arrow and Batman have in common... They both have somewhat of a vigilante spirit.  They don't want to stay on the sidelines and watch people get hurt.  They want to step in and take action themselves.  I suppose that's what all superheros have in common...

Overall, this was a decent intro to Green Arrow.  One things for sure, Green Arrow has quite a few characters that he'll have to deal with...  Even one that looks like Chewbacca.

Writing: 7/10
Art: 7/10
Storytelling: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

I'm not sure if I'll give Green Arrow another go... Maybe #2 will be a little better.

New 52! Batman Detective Comics #1 Review

Batman Detective Comics #1

I'm still trying to figure out a good system on evaluating the comics I'm reviewing.  I thought about reviewing comics based on three aspects: writing, art, and storytelling

Again, this is just my opinion and what does my opinion mean?  Pretty much nothing.  This is just my personal feelings.

Writing - There is only so much space in a comic book to give the reader an idea / feeling of the characters' thoughts, feelings, aspirations, etc.  How well did that come across?

Art - How well did the art match up with script?  And what is the overall quality?

Storytelling - Pretty much... Did I feel like I was immersed in the world this creative team is presenting?

Each category is out of 10 points and then averaged for my overall assessment.

[ may consist of minor spoilers ]

Gruesome.  Shocking.  Disgusting.  Three words that jump out to me after reading this comic.  There's a reason why, I feel, Batman has always done well in comics and on the big screen.  Batman doesn't have super-powers and neither do the criminals (per se).  Everything is so grounded, dark, scary, and just raw.

Written and drawn by Tony Salvador Daniel... Wait?  He does both?  What a talent!!  Where does he find the time?!

The comic starts out with an inner-monologue by Batman.  Throughout the comic, we get Batman's insights:  from his deductive thinking to calling the police idiots.  Consistent with the world that was introduced in Justice League #1, the police don't like Batman with exception to a detective he meets on the roof-top.

One thing that isn't explained yet is Batman's relationship with Detective Gordan (I believe that's his name)  I don't even think they even mention his name, how the Bat-signal was made, and why the detective has a "working relationship" with Batman.  To a first time reader that doesn't know anything about Batman, this could be a little confusing...

The story is pretty cliche, but very well written and drawn.  Batman chases the psychotic Joker...  Nothing new (to me) except the Joker isn't playing silly tricks like he did in some of the cartoon portrayals.  The Joker is one crazy and scary guy!  Tony gives us a little hint of something more going on other than Joker causing havoc.  Dr. Arkham (i.e. Arkham Asylum?) and the Joker are up to something...  Last page of the comic is just disturbing.  You'll have to read it to know what I mean...

I'm really looking forward to reading more of this comic and excited to know what happens next!

Writing: 9/10
Art: 8/10.  Some shots of Batman on the rooftop seemed disproportionate to other shots... Mostly his cap was one crazy big bed sheet.  Tony deserves big props though for writing and drawing!
Storytelling: 8.5/10

Overall: 8.5 / 10

Operation Bag and Board

I picked up 100 bags and boards from the local comic book store, COMICKAZE Comics Books and More, located on Clairemont Mesa Blvd.

And so...

Operation Bag and Board is in effect.  With the help of my co-worker Mike, I organized my current collection of comic books.  All the older Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps comics were given to me as a gift by my good friend, Ray.

Before

After

Anniversary Green Lantern #200.  My most precious comic

New 52! Justice League #1 Review

Justice League #1

** Caution: minor spoilers **

Right away, we are pulled into a world where the term super hero doesn't exist.  JL #1 starts off in Gotham city, where Batman is chasing a cloaked figure and the police after, not the cloaked figure but, Batman!  Geoff Johns doesn't completely come out and say it, but the world is afraid of "super humans" or, at least, have a dubious opinion towards them.

Just before Batman was going to get pummeled, Green Lantern (squee!!) enters the scene.  Geoff Johns does a really good job describing how powerful Green Lantern really is to new readers.  The majority of this issue is dialogue between Batman and Green Lantern.  None of the super heroes know each other (that we know), in fact, Batman and Green Lantern refer to Superman as an alien.  They don't even mention his name until they display the title of the next issue:  Superman vs. Batman.

I can already tell that Green Lantern is going to be a source of comedy relief.  Hal Jordan is arrogant and makes fun of Batman for just being a guy in a bat costume.  The creative team at DC comics make an interesting choice to introduce us to Green Lantern and Batman first.  Two, almost, completely different personalities.  One fights with the light and the other prefers the darkness.  One is a loud mouth and the other grunts his words.  Id est, Christian Bale *grunt* "WHERE IS SHE?!"

One moment in this issue that really made me laugh was a line from Green Lantern where he says something to the effect of, "... how else are we going to get there?  A deep voice?" Hilarious!!

While trying to find the alien in Metropolis, we are introduced to our third super hero, Superman!  He's not going to be an easy person to talk to using force.  He smashes right through Green Lantern's constructs which are supposed to be impenetrable...

Overall, I am REALLY excited for the new 52 and can't wait for more!  Jim Lee's art is amazing!  I would love a sketch (hint hint Michael).  The ink and color are masterfully done.  The new grittier and darker perspective of the DC Universe has a lot of potential.  My friend, Michael, describes it as the Deep Space 9 world of Star Trek.  If that's the case, I'm all in!  Slow to start but AWESOME in the end.

Rating: 9/10

***

As you probably noticed, all the heros have new costumes!  DC's creative team believed that a new perspective on the new 52 should also mean a new set of costumes.  Because of that... I may have to invest in Action Comics because that's where they'll explain the origins of Superman's costume.

That's all!  Off to class...

A Turn

I know it's been awhile since I last wrote a blog.  Honestly after my grandfather's passing,  I've kind of lost the motivation to write.  I put so much of myself emotionally into the post that anything else I write is kind of "blah."  I've thought about moving my blog into different directions -- less of a narrative and more of a photographic journal.

So we'll see how this goes...

Just a little update:
I'm on a little break from school.  Managed a B+ in Finance and an A in Organizational Development.  Not bad.  This next trimester should test my mettle, however.  Three classes and a lot of reading, group projects, and papers.  I'm dreading it a little.

Blog 28 - Catharsis

I really can't think of a logical way to write this blog.  The past three weeks have been such an emotional roller-coaster and sorting through those feelings and memories is kind of difficult.  I really don't even know where to begin...  So, I'm just going to write this blog for catharsis.  I apologize for the unorganized structure.

When my grandfather passed on April 26th, my family and relatives were constantly together. We all spent the night at my grandparents house to... just be together and show support to one another.  Every night until my grandfather's burial, there was a vigil and lots of Filipino food to go around.  All the coming and going certainly helped give my grandmother, my mom, and aunts a distraction until the viewing/burial.

I was in charge of putting together our family's own video montage of my grandfather.



I had fun putting the video together, but it was also a very emotional little project.  I watched the video over and over for editing purposes that, at times, I almost felt emotionally detached.  I actually started to feel guilty.  The last thing I wanted to be was a robot or emotionless when we buried my grandfather.

I took three days off for bereavement, so I could be with my family during the Viewing (or Wake).  There was an overwhelming feeling of "togetherness" and family at Glenn Abbey Memorial.  Seeing my Grandfather in the casket was... just unreal.  As a Christian, we know that the body laying in the casket was no longer my grandfather... Just a shell...  We believe that he's somewhere in Heaven having a grand ol' time and eating whatever he wants...  It was incredibly emotional nonetheless.  Seeing my grandmother lean over the casket, stroking my grandfather's hair, crying, and saying goodbye was the most heart-wrenching moment of my life.  Thinking about my family and relatives in tears just makes... I don't know... It just breaks my heart and I want to break down and cry.

The first day of the Viewing, I was really afraid to approach the casket to see my grandfather.  It took me about an hour to muster up the courage to see him.  When I finally did, I really didn't know what to think.  I was just numb.  "This is my grandfather...  Wake up, grandpa!"  I didn't cry... Until I walked to the back of the mortuary to be with my family and maybe get something to eat.  My mom asked me, "Did you see your grandpa?" and.. that's when I grabbed my little sister and broke down...

On the last day of the Viewing before my mom closed the casket, we got to share a story about my Grandfather.  I think of myself as a decent speaker and didn't think that I would choke.  The first words out of my mouth were, "I want to tell you a st..." and I broke down again.  My grandfather was behind me and family in front... Almost everyone that went up to speak had to pause to gather their emotions.

The day of the burial, my cousins and I were the Pallbearers to bring my grandfather's casket into the church.  We had a wonderful service and headed to Glenn Abbey for the burial.  Along the way, we had three police escorts to make sure our funeral procession arrived at the same time.

My grandfather had a military ceremony done by the U.S. Navy.  At this point, I really thought I was "cried-out."  4 days of crying felt like enough... I couldn't possibly cry anymore than I have been.  At least until the Navy performed their 3-volley salute.  The gun shots hit me square in the chest (not literally) and when they played Taps... I had mixed emotions of pride and sadness.  My grandfather was such a great man.  A man full of integrity, humbleness, and love for his family.

We said our final good-bye's as he was lowered into the ground.

Our family has a tough time ahead...  I'm trying to spend a lot more time with them.  I am worried about my grandma... I know she's trying to keep herself busy by cooking and cleaning, but sometimes... I catch her with her hand to her face...

The loneliness must be so overwhelming.

My motivation with school and work have taken such a big hit.. And there are also other things going on in my own personal life.

Emotionally, I've been calling the past 3-weeks a "spectrum of overwhelming emotion" and a real "roller-coaster of emotion."  From sadness, depression, happiness, and pride to anger, frustration, loneliness, and hope.  It's just a lot...

Look to God.  Pray for comfort, strength, and wisdom.  That's what I'm hoping for... My family is there as well...

Anyway, that's all...  We love you Grandpa..