that's actually a server in my pocket, but yes -- i am happy to see you.

Let me start off by saying I never really watched Transformers as a kid. I didn't cry when Optimus died and though I did have a few toys growing up, I never really appreciated their value as characters. They were just bitchin cars that changed into robots. I also saw the 2007 Transformers movie and thought it was pretty okay for the most part, which is why I went to see the sequel. I generally don't like to do a lot of research about films before I see them because I like to enjoy them at face value before picking them apart. Given all of this, I went in to this movie with a pretty blank slate. I just couldn't enjoy Transformers 2 at that level. I tried to -- really!

When Tom Waits writes music, he writes it so that his audience feels something. I also understand that he has enough talent that his music is good on other levels. I enjoy being jerked around emotionally by him for this reason. I really appreciate his talent as a musician, a writer, and a performer. If he wrote music just to jerk people around, I wouldn't waste my time.  This is the reason I didn't like being jerked around by Michael Bay. His tactics as a director are cheap. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not an old school elitist who is against high production value so long as there's some semblance of a quality storyline. For example, I wouldn't have minded so much if, in-between the high-suspense scenes that made the audience squirm in anticipation, there was some relief in the rest of the story. I like to like the main characters. Instead, I felt like I was watching a cheap, witless sitcom with stupid characters.

Sam Witwickey is a cheeky, sarcastic, hip, plaid-wearing dude who that can only tell his hot and super cool girlfriend that he loves her after he ... dies and goes to robot heaven??? Am I supposed to buy that? I get that he's supposed to be insecure because I saw the first movie, but it wasn't believable. On top of that, his girlfriend Mikaela treats him like shit yet complains that he won't tell her that he loves her. There are maybe two or three gushy moments, but not enough to establish that they're really into each other. Mr. and Mrs. Witwickey are the most ridiculous parents I've ever seen. Why write them in at all? Maybe to use as a non-crucial trap planned toward the end by the Decpticons later in the film like an easy hurdle to prolong the fight? I'm not going to nitpick the rest of the story since I get that it's not supposed to be a ground-breaking story, but is it too much to ask, given a $200 million budget, that we see some quality writing?

It's obvious that most of the budget was spent in the special effects department. This was expected. Just like when I watch porn, I want to fast-forward to the good parts. The robot fights: Sexy, shiny, powerful machines made more powerful when standing 7-stories tall (all scratches mysteriously removed when they transform back, of course). The problem is that a 'bot is visually difficult to deal with on its own, let alone in a fight with two or three others. Couple that with fluid camera shots and you're in for a headache -- and worse if you're prone to motion sickness (if this includes you, just try to sit far away from the theater screen or you'll have the Blair Witch Project problem all over again).

This isn't a plea to the all-powerful film industry sitting up on top of Mt Olympus to make good movies because it's obvious that the general populous doesn't want that. It's obvious that they want to be jerked around by cheap shots and hot chicks; I certainly don't blame them. I wouldn't even discourage any readers from seeing the film. All I'm saying is don't go into the theater thinking that you're going to be blown away by the bet movie you've ever seen because Transformers 2 is just a really long and really expensive Saturday morning cartoon.

Thomas listens to KROQ. Not avidly -- it's just background music. Normally when I get into his car, he turns it off because he knows I hate the radio, but yesterday I asked him to keep it on as I was curious what's out there these days.

Rob Zombie was playing. I haven't heard "Dragula" in years and for the first time ever, I wondered what the fuck this guy was talking about. All I heard was ditches, witches, "back of my ..." dracula? dragula? So I began to wonder -- back of his Dracula? Is Dracula gay? How big is his sphincter? That's when Thomas told me it was "Dragula," which I now believe to be the drag queen version of Dracula. It all fits my logic process.

Dracula, you go, girl!! Just remember to squeeze the cheeks when you walk lest a little present slips out without you meaning to.

Yesterday was May fourth, as in: May the fourth be with you, as in: STAR WARS DAY!

Today is the fifth of May, as in: Cinco de Mayo. Though I don't celebrate this Arbor Day of Mexican holidays, I will  honor both of the above with these two gems:

Sigh.

A friend of mine told me yesterday about how cool he thinks it is that Star Wars fans take something as simple as the fourth of may and turn it into something they own. May fourth is owned by me, and I'll bet all you other Star Wars fans feel the same way.

That's why I love "nerds." Nerds are the only people I know who feel passion about anything, and dash it all if other people find the object of the nerds' passion trivial! This is the main reason why I find the majority of people I've ever met less interesting than anyone I've ever met while waiting in line at a midnight show to a movie or waiting in line for 12 hours to meet Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes at Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash for a handshake and an autograph. On top of all of that, nerds don't care if they're outcasts because they build better friendships with other nerds than most people do in a lifetime. That's a fact!

Nerds drive me from my pessimistic tendencies about people and life to feel hopeful and proud instead.

I haven't posted much of anything lately primarily because I've been too busy and partially because I don't have anything groundbreaking to report.

My birthday has come and gone, and though I still can't legally rent a car, I feel on top of the world.  April is always a busy month for me, for the city of Long Beach, and for school. Probably one of the more notable things that happened was the Tiki Bar TV Party. I'm not one for going into the gritty details of my social life, partly because I don't have anything to prove to anyone, but mostly because I like secrets. This picture sums up the night nicely.

I've talked at length about why I love new media and pocasting, blogging, etc., but I don't think I've ever talked about how much I adore the fans and the culture. Not only do I automatically feel at ease with them (because they're all nerds too), but everyone is so down-to-earth and friendly.

I raise my tiki mug to you all!

I wasn't kidding about being busy, though. Gotta run!

"...say it."

"your boner is in my back."

I realize I've been posting a lot of bullshit lately, but this post isn't bullshit. I know that a lot of you don't find this as awesome as I do, but I'm still a girl and I still love girly things.