RamblingDyna

I've heard about the SF Asian Film Festival for the longest time but have never gone to see a film. I guess I just took advantage of the fact that because I live here, there's always next year, yada, yada yada. The truth is that I'm too busy with my own life to care what else is happening outside my perfect shiny bubble (movie title hint). I kid. I kid. Now where's my dam mirror??? That changed Friday when my friend invited me to hang out with some filmmaker friends to see their comedy premier, "Self Absorbed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3459B5wDuZI at Sundance Cinemas (former Kabuki Theater) in Japantown, San Francisco. The plot is based on a story about a secret group of people with special powers. A smooth talking, silver coated bagel monger and a petite, energetic blue mop (say whaaaat?) are not your typical superheroes. Marvel are ya paying attention? The whimsical and light piece is one of the many works featured in the 94 minute short program serie...

Mark your calendar right now: March 12 - 22 The 27th Annual Asian American Film Festival is back with a vengeance - 120 independent national and international Asian films featured in San Francisco, San Jose and Berkeley venues. It's the largest and only one of its kind. Win a free trip to Vegas or shopping $$$ if your photo wins the best photo contest. Now where did I put those dusty Polaroids? Check out the after parties too! http://festival.asianamericanmedia.org/2009/festival/festival-tips/sfiaaff-parties-happy-hours/ Be there or lose out.

Before the 19th century women didn't have the power to vote. They had no voice, no representation, no respect. In 1978, California Senator Dianne Feinstein was elected Mayor of San Francisco, the first woman to hold public office . Last year Hilary Clinton became the first woman to run for President. Today an African American First Lady, Michelle Obama, is living in the White House, more small businesses are run by women, and more women are becoming the sole breadwinner of the household as their husbands get laid off. It'll be interesting to see how the family/marriage dynamic has changed (for better or worse) as a result of the role reversal, but will save that for another post. In celebration of National Women’s History Month, the The National Women’s History Project (NWHP) will host a one woman performance, “Sense of Wonder”, the life of American environmentalist and writer, Rachel Carson. “Women Taking the Lead to Save the Planet”, is the “green” movement theme of ...

I’m writing this at a java café near Ocean Beach in San Francisco. I was planning to write about politics but changed direction five minutes after a very interesting couple arrived. They were in a heated and loud discussion the minute they sat down across from me. “You’re my second cousin. You’re my cousin!” said the pretty, slim, mid-20 something woman. She is frenetic, nervous and agitated. In contrast, the woman’s companion is confident, calm and composed, a tall and striking Asian looking James Dean. The woman was visibly upset while the man tried to calm her down. “What will people say?” she asked him. He can hardly get a word in while she talked non-stop, firing questions and accusations at him. Yes, I’m eavesdropping but how can I resist? Hmmm, their unfolding and comedic drama is intriguing. “I already had a drink", the rambling woman continues. “Have another drink. Let’s go to a bar”, he urges her. She mumbles a question. “Who cares what they think”, the m...

I’ve worked in the video game and television production fields which continue to be male dominated although more women are slowly climbing (not jumping) on the bandwagon. So I didn’t know what to expect when I attended “Pixar’s Leading Women” on Monday. Pixar is the famed Disney animation studio that gave birth to Toy Story, the industry’s first full length CG movie. Pixar and Bay Area Women in Film and Media (BAWIFM) sponsored the event at Pixar’s Emeryville location. The faces of Art Directors, Editors and Photographers in the media have and continue to be predominately men with women usually delegated in an assistant or associate role. But the roles were reversed in every direction and turned upside down as eight successful women with solid and impressive backgrounds, averaging 13 years of Pixar tenure, shared the challenges and rewards of getting to where they are now. They joined Pixar when it was just starting out in the 1990’s, an unknown production house before the D...

Thanks to my friend for sending me this news article about the boat's status. Don't even recognize it with all the graffiti. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/01/26/BACS15G4VE.DTL The National Park Service hauled the boat away about two weeks ago but the article didn't explain in detail of how and why the boat was stranded there except that it was used in a Coast Guard operation. What's more outrageous is that the Los Altos owner refused to pay for for the $4,000 haulting and storage bill! Ocean Beach is not a free parking lot. Expired parking meters in San Francisco will cost you $50 and the meter maids are hawks. The park will bring the owner to court but if he stands his ground, I hope the court revokes his license, impose additional fines or some sort of penality to make him accountable for his actions. I was shocked to see the grafitti on the boat as my video was taken a few days before it was hauled off. Come to think of it, why don't t...

I took these cell phone videos about two weeks ago. My favorite boat more vandalized than the last time I laid my sympathetic eyes on it: beaten and stripped by elements of humans and weather. I returned yesterday, thinking it would welcome me as usual. But yesterday was different. I turned left on Noriega, crossed Great Highway and expected to see the 3655 foot boat in the horizon once my eyes reached past the top of the staircase column but to my surprise…nothing, nada, zip! The familiar white and bare boat that I had grown accustomed to as an Ocean Beach fixture was gone. I panned a 180 several times looking like a tennis fan standing on the bleachers watching a Wimbledon match. My eyes narrowed, my face tightened and my heart raced. Question marks raced out of my head. My eyes zig zagged and darted up and down the beach for any signs or remnants of the boat: rudder, wood planks, or an anchor. Zero. I jogged north towards Lincoln, a and made a U turn to Sloat Blvd but came up ...