Celebrations

Another Pride, another Frameline, and another birthday came and went, all during last week. I had a blast. Qiqi’s visit makes all the celebrations more hectic, but more fun as well. Now I can sleep in for a few days, because it’s a long weekend for the 4th of July. On my birthday last Friday, I decided not to eat out at a restaurant, but to cook at home myself. I took the day off from work and got up late. After a workout at a workout at the gym and grocery shopping, I cooked dinner. I wish I had a bigger place so I can have more people over. http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf I really don’t want to celebrate birthdays. They remind me that I am just another year older, without being wiser. I wish I could stay young forever. Well, who doesn’t? But I do enjoy having friends over and have a long dinner sitting around the table with food and drinks, and of course, laughter. The pride celebration is fun as always. This year the crowd seem much timid, I am not sure why. I see less extravagant and flamboyant this year at the Civic Center, and much fewer naked people. Not that I want to see those who are normally naked at these events, probably not. But they do serve as an indicator to be free and wild spirit. Even the parade has fewer floats; and no gift bags at the VIP party at the City Hall after the parade. But, that’s okay. The pride spirit at this recession time is still up high and I had a lot fun nevertheless. Since this year Tida Aida doesn’t have a float, I joined the Mystermayor‘s contingent in the parade on Sunday. The route is much quieter and calmer compared to shaking on a float with blasting music, but it was fun and enjoyable to celebrate proudly. http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf However, I was really annoyed by some protesters at the beginning of the parade. They calling the mayor names and scaring the children in the parade by screaming and yelling. The reason? They think the mayor is responsible for the recent budget cuts on health services in the city. I know it’s a tough time and everybody is affected. But they treating Newsom as if he is Regan is no way to gain any support or sympathy from anyone, including me. They choose the wrong time and wrong place and use the wrong words when they try to spoil the community spirit at the pride parade. Dumb asses! I am already looking forward to next year’s pride. Couple days ago, when I was trying to upload the pictures from pride, I couldn’t find my camera! I panicked. I thought I lost all the pictures. It turns out that it dropped off my bag at Sean’s place. After I retrieved my camera, I put stickers all over my camera case with my phone number and email. I hope I will never lose it. If I do, I hope my contact info will bring it back to me next time. On the last night before Qiqi’s departure, he took me to Nara Sushi for a midnight eating out, because for almost a week, we never ate dinner by ourselves. It was really late and many items ran out already, but I enjoy couple drinks with him and a little sushi to go with the conversation. I really enjoy his visit and his company. Come back soon, Qiqi! Finally, I have to express my disgust toward the media coverage following Michael Jackson‘s death. By no means that I am a big fan of this troubled individual, but can the media just give him a break upon his death? Show some decency and respect to the deceased. Perhaps these so called reporters just don’t have any. I think the media are public enemies, not the John Gillinger this new film: Public Enemies During the current deep recession, we all already know (or lost track of) how much tax payers’ money have been poured into major banks. Those bank CEOs become shameful figures in public eyes. That makes robbing a bank almost a heroic act, hardly criminal. After all, the bankers have been doing that, just without a gun. Intended or not, that’s precisely the tone of director Michael Mann‘s action thriller "Public Enemies" (USA 2009 | 140 min.), about a bank robber’s surreal tales during the Great Depression. John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is a legendary bank robber during the Great Depression in Midwest. FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) is hand-picked by Edgar Hoover to capture John Dillinger. However, John Dillinger seems able to elude FBI’s hunt miraculously and carries on a romantic relationship with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) in and out expensive restaurants, when he is not robbing another bank. John Dillinger is named the Public Enemy Number One, but the "public" really just means the FBI that Hoover is trying to advance. Johnny Depp brilliantly portraits John Dillinger as a handsome, charming, intelligent, loyal, determined, and brave young man. He appears more as an action hero figure, who will do everything for his love, than as an outlawed conman. No wonder Billie falls in love with him despite his high profile as a most wanted criminal. On the contrary, Christian Bale plays Melvin Purvis as a dull, arrogant, cold agent who further direct public’s sympathy to John Dillinger. Luckily, the Texas Ranger character Charles Winstead (Stephen Lang) adds much needed intelligence to the law enforcement. The film is entertaining and captivating for the most part, even with its formulaic story development. It brings John Dillinger’s story back to life when the American sinks into another deep recession. However, just don’t try to mimic what John Dillinger did, even we all know who are the true public enemies. "Public Enemies" opens on Wednesday, July 1 at Bay Area theaters.