hey you. watch it. it's great.

this update is coming in a bit late.

on June 11th, disney california adventure's new water spectacular, World of Color debuted! i didn't get to see it until the following Monday though. i must say, that it is a very beautiful show. technologically sound, and very epic.

the day started out with andrew, cicero, cesar, jowena, her brother, and i going into the parks in the early afternoon to get our fastpasses for the show and our included picnic meal. which turned out to be pretty disgusting.. but we weren't there for the food, we were there for the fastpass. afterwards, we headed to ariel's grotto for some drinks, then espnzone for the laker game, then headed back into dca.

to add, on our way out of ariel's grotto, i spotted a familiar face walking the opposite way. i turned my head but by then, could only see the back of his head. i was pretty sure i saw who i thought i saw, so i told everyone else to stop what they were doing while i pursued. when the mystery guy walked into a retail shop, i was able to get a glimpse and confirm it was really him: George Kalogridis! the president of the Disneyland Resort! this guy was responsible for all the great times i've had this year as well as most of the positive changes i've seen at the parks!


goerge kalogridis and me

a quick bio of George and his history with Disney:

George’s extensive career with Disney Parks and Resorts spans 38 years, and he started working with the company in 1971 as a busboy at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. Most recently, George served as chief operating officer for Disneyland Resort Paris. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president of Resort Operations at Disneyland for the first expansion of the resort in 2001 that includes the opening of Disney’s California Adventure park and Downtown Disney.

George has held several other executive roles, including vice president of Walt Disney World’s Travel Operations, vice president of EPCOT park, vice president of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and vice president of Human Resources at Walt Disney World.

we checked out Glow Fest. when i first heard this event announced, i thought it was a huge fail. a tacky neon-colored party-esque event in the middle of the hollywood backlot area promoted to be like a rave.. at a disney park? but when we entered, it was surprisingly and incredibly fun! they really get the party atmosphere going and everyone was getting into it. people of all ages were dancing in the street and having a good time. it was a bit odd having a couple bar locations and alcoholic drinks around children though..



Glow Fest
(click to enlarge photos)

we then headed to our designated meeting area/time for World of Color. our viewing area was great! wasn't so close to the front that we couldn't see the whole thing, and not in the back that we were too far.. we were right in the middle.




World of Color
(click to enlarge photos)

MY QUICK REVIEW
the show, like i said, is simply beautiful. i've never seen anything done like that before. the effects they did with the water, mist screens, lasers, and fire were beyond anything i could have imagined! i still ask myself how they did some of their effects when i watch the show! simply amazing! my only critique though: i dont feel that emotional connection to the show like i do with Fantasmic. yes, it is beautiful and technologically great in every sense of the word, but it's simply that.. an extremely nice thing to watch. it doesn't tug at the heart strings for me. like that giddy childlike feeling i get when Mickey orchestrates the water, fire, and fireworks during Fantasmic's finale.

i posted this back in 2008, but the issue is still apparent in many vendors today and it still continues to anger me.

for those who are unaware, in California, charging a fee to use your card, or requiring a minimum purchase amount to use your card is illegal and against merchants' contracts with the credit card companies. when restaurants have those signs up saying there is a minimum to charge your card, i just want to tear it down and start something with the manager.

some useful information to report your favorite restaurants (be sure to have the restaurant name and address ready):

VISA
call: 1-800-VISA-911 (intl. 1-410-581-9994), or call the number on the back of your card.
mailing addy: Visa USA Inc., PO Box 194607, San Francisco, CA 94119-4607
online: card issuer's website may let you report an online dispute

according to visa merchant rules:

Visa merchants are not permitted to establish minimum transaction amounts, even on sale items. They also are not permitted to charge you a fee when you want to use your Visa card.

MasterCard
Make a report online!
(since most places that take VISA also take MasterCard, i use MC's online form to report places that exploit Visa's)
or call: 1-800-MASTERCARD (intl. 1-636-722-7111), or call the number on the back of your card.

according to mastercard merchant rules:

A merchant must not require, or post signs indicating that it requires, a minimum or maximum transaction ammount to accept a valid MasterCard card.

American Express
Make a report online!
or call: 1-800-528-4800 (intl. 1-336-393-1111)
mailing addy: American Express, PO Box 297812, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33329-7812

amex is a little different with their policy, because according to their rules:

American Express’s regulations do not explicitly prohibit minimum charges, but its policy is to discourage any merchant practices that create a “barrier to acceptance.” Amex does prohibit “discrimination” against the Amex card, however, so if a merchant has no minimum or maximum charge or require ID for Visa and MasterCard, the merchant may not discriminate against Amex by imposing a minimum or maximum charge or requiring ID.

i say, if you're going to put that logo on your window, be ready to pay for it! dont make the customers do it for you! so yes. save that info and those links to your favorites, and let's bring these bastards down!!

i've saved these websites as bookmarks on my iPhone browser. now i can report them while i'm there. ooOoOoo..

sources: visa merchant rules and mastercard merchant rules

(click to enlarge)
LOST is over.. my thoughts?

i thought the series finale was very fitting. yeah, it answered almost NO questions at all about the island.. but as the producer's say, the ending of the show was more about the characters. and what a way it was to send them off... literally. i will say though, that almost EVERY scene in the flash-sideways got me. for almost six years i've developed an emotional connection to some of these characters.. especially jin and sun. which ended up being my favorite characters of the show. and the concept of the flash-sideways being their (lack of a better word) purgatory? that was pure genius and amazing.

i've gained a few favorite actors and actresses from the show. terry o'quinn was AMAZING as locke/flocke. yunjin kim as sun. even michael emerson as ben linus even though i still think if i bumped into him on the streets i'd be scared because he looks like a psycho killer. i do hope these actors find good work after this show; their acting abilities are superb.

lost dealt with so much: emotional investment in characters, the supernatural, religious beliefs, leadership, desperation, trust, the 'afterlife,' time travel, and of course, profound theories. it really changed the race of television series' for the future. i'm glad to have been able to follow the series the entire way. it's ending message is simple, true, and easily relatable:

to remember.. and to let go..

i will definitely miss the series. and who knows.. maybe pick it up again after a few years to remember why i loved it so much. it was something i didn't want to end once it got closer to the end.. but i realize i have to take the show's advice and simply.. let go.

thank you to Lost writers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. and of course the brilliant cast of Lost.

i got a new case for my phone. the casemate i.d. from case-mate.com

it's an iphone case that doubles as a card holder. i got my sister one for christmas and since then i've wanted to get myself one. it's advertised to hold two standard sized credit cards, but i've been able to fit my debit card, my driver's license, and my disneyland annual pass in snugly. on night out when i dont have to carry any cash, the case defeats my need for a wallet! i also like the smooth but grippy matte finish the case has.


i love how it incorporates protection, style, and functionality in one. and it's very low-profile. i've already received quite a few comments on it when i've had my phone out.. and i have no problem directing them to the casemate website. i admit it is a bit pricey, but i got mine on ebay for two-thirds of the price!

sadly, maxt out santa barbara was cancelled. or in their words, postponed to be combined with the november maxt out.

what does this mean for BK/Jeff/BigB's project? when i first heard the news, i was bummed. not only did my return/dance opportunity feel like it was slipping away.. but all the people i've already met through the project are too awesome to have been taken away.

so.. are we finished?! no. we'll be performing at the Beatniks showcase in July! i'm grateful to be able to continue practicing with them and to perform alongside them.

with that, last week's practice was cancelled and i was able to hang out with maureen, cicero, andrew, and shelly at the greek festival last friday. to be honest, we were just there for the food. and i'm glad we went. i got to try feta fries and greek beer (Mythos) with a gyro (see below). also enjoyed some loukamathes (loukoumades).


feta fries. gyro. mythos beer.

we then ventured off to Disneyland afterwards. i was ecstatic since i haven't been to the parks in over a month. i didn't go at all in April. met up with AJ and some of his friends and enjoyed the night at the park. after the park closed, maureen and shelly took us to downtown fullerton. no, not to party. i'm much too old for that scene. but to Crepes Bonaparte. much like the Kogi truck that you follow on twitter.. but for crepes! i was excited because 1.) this was my first time trying crepes bonaparte, 2.) this was my first time at a famous food truck, and 3.) this was my first time having a crepe! we got the savory Caprese crepe (chicken, tomato, mozarella, pesto) and the dessert HazleBerryAna crepe (gnutella, strawberry, banana). my thoughts on my first crepes? awesome!


the hazleberryana and the caprese

and yet another victim of identity theft! yay! ...not really

on mother's day, i tried updating an app on my iPhone. of course, it asks for my password. but it says my pw is incorrect. after multiple tries, it suggests that i 'forgot' my password and to input my email/account to retrieve it. and it says my account doesn't exist! that's strange considering i've had an account at the iTunes Store since one of my first iPods.

i assume iTunes had a bug in the system and deleted my account, so i go ahead and make a new one with the same email, id, personal info, and credit card. and all seems well. but then i realized that there is no record of all the apps i previously bought. so whenever an update comes out for one of my paid apps, i have to re-pay for it again. which i confirmed by actually re-buying one on purpose. i find this to be a problem, so i email Apple Support.

we'll call my assigned Apple representative Lyndsey (not her real name). i let her know of my situation. she locates my old account which still exists in the system and tells me the reason why it wasn't working is because i changed my email to another address, of which will be unnamed here. i tell her that i'm unfamiliar with said email address and i'm sure that my account was compromised and changed. she agrees. it dawned on me that if someone stole my account, they probably bought something, so i check my bank account and there was an unfamiliar charge on my debit card. Lyndsey then deactivates the account and puts a ban on the card. after giving her some personal info to confirm my identity, she works on getting me refunded for the app i re-bought. once the refund clears, she can close the newly made account. then she can re-activate the old account and change it back to my old email.

after about a day, i get an email from Lyndsey saying that all should be back in order. but since the credit card i had linked was banned (on a precautionary basis, which i am thankful for, even though it is an inconvenience), i have to pay with my paypal account from now on when purchasing apps.

now that i have control over my original account again (with a brand-spanking new password), i checked my purchase history to see what this thief was buying. turns out: the thief was buying songs from one of this year's American Idol contestants who was eliminated weeks ago. FAIL!

but i must commend iTunes/Apple Support, especially my representative 'Lyndsey,' who was very patient and professional with my issue. her communication was great, timely, and very personal. i didn't feel like i was talking to a scripted robot like i usually do with some customer support representatives.

haven't blogged in a long time!

a real update soon, i promise.. but for now: buffalo wild wings have brought back my favorite wing flavor of all! desert heat dry rub!

man, i was all over the place this weekend..

friday: vegas.
saturday: vegas. then home in pomona. then practice in irvine.
sunday: ultimate brawl in riverside.

beezee much? yes. but all enjoyably worth it. details later. sleep now.

so..... a dance opportunity knocked on my door. and i answered it!!

had my first practice for BK, jeff and big b's project "People Say I Move Funny" [name pending] tonight. it was fun. and great to dance alongside hannah and neil again. as well the honor of dancing with bk, and other CG heads i've met along the ways of my disneyland adventures! mainly made up of 220 and CG and now a few from bMod. we will be performing the project at Maxt Out in Santa Barbara on May 29th.. i know it's far so i don't expect much physical support. but if you're willing to make the drive, go for it!

muy excited.

but... having not danced in soo long, i know for a fact that i'll be sore for the next couple of days..

usher's new album "raymond v raymond" is utter and useless crap. an artist of his caliber should not be allowed to release such garbage. this is by far his laziest attempt in a long time, if not, THE laziest attempt in his career.

you should download it just so that you can have the pleasure of deleting it.

i kinda didn't feel yesterday's quake.. i say kinda because my head felt it and i didn't know it was an earthquake. still doesn't make sense?

i was sitting in a very weird position because i was cutting my hair, and because of the noise from the clippers, i couldn't hear anything. when the earth started shaking (actually, more like slowly swaying), i didn't know and instead just started feeling some massive vertigo. i thought i was just getting dizzy from the way i was awkwardly sitting. about a minute after, i get a call from my sister and she asks if i just felt the earthquake. there was an earthquake? makes so much sense now!

that's all. kbye.

(click to enlarge)
or go to flickr page
yeah. i got a picture with the best mickey of all. sorcerer mickey from fantasmic.

BE JEALOUS.


and for a quick throwback earlier in the year:

(click to enlarge)
or go to flickr page
me and my homie sully.

a pair of breakbeat dj's in Swansea, UK that call themselves "hybrid" caught my ear back in the year 2000. i fell in love with their track "Finished Symphony" (click to listen) which combines their electronic breakbeats with cinematic/symphonic textures, which is what hybrid became to be known for when they released their debut album "Wider Angle" in 1999. Finished Symphony is still one of my favorite songs of all time.

since then, they've released three more studio albums: the second, "Morning Sci-Fi" in 2003, which i really didn't like at all. their sound got way too dark for me and was almost too repetitive. the symphonic sound that they were known for was simply not there.. and it became more of an undertone.

in 2006, they collaborated with what just so happened to be my favorite film score composer, Harry Gregson-Williams -- i had no idea they were even associated! altogether, they put "I Choose Noise" together as their third album and i absolutely loved it. obviously, since they had a film composer working with them, they returned with a really big orchestral sound. and this album sounded like a movie score with breakbeats. i wish they had accepted HGW into the group, but he is busy doing his own thing as a film composer.

and today, hybrid releases their fourth album, "Disappear Here." sadly, no collab work with Harry, but still a good album as they keep the symphonic sound prominent. hybrid added singer/songwriter Charlotte James to the group. and you can definitely hear a change of sound. their music is now more song-based rather than dance beats with vocal tracks on top:

---

Hybrid - Disappear Here (2010)

the album opens with "Empire." and the first thing that comes to mind when listening to this track is tension. it's like breaks meets a suspense movie score. the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra is very apparent, but not as much as i'd like it to. really sets the mood of the rest of the album as it is pretty tension-filled. the opening of "Can You Hear Me Now is very dream-like, and is the first time you get to hear the vocals of the newly added member of hybrid, Charlotte James. the song progresses into a very heavy dance club track towards the end. actually sounds like two different songs from the beginning to end. "Green Shell Suit" is the second of two instrumental tracks (but how much i wish there were more!). it's definitely a chill out kind of song. and one that i need to add to my snowboarding playlist.

"Disappear Here" starts out very tense, and Charlotte's haunting vocals come back. once the heavy breaks come in, i like how they've altered her voice to make its own melody. this track really showcases how hybrid has started structuring their tracks to be more song-like rather than club track. "Every Word" isn't my favorite track, but it definitely has a bunch of different (and kinda random) elements that make it work as a chill out. you have a slower/muddy electronic beat, the haunting vocals and guitars, and a warmer acoustic track layer. "Formula of Fear" starts out with what reminds me of when a bunch of news reporters are covering a story at the same time.. as they fade out a piano and the breaks fade in. this is a track where i feel the newly added vocalist and hybrid's signature sound don't overpower each other. you get the best of both worlds in this track. definitely a peak track, and it so happens to be right in the middle of the tracklist.

"City Siren (Reprise)" is another instrumental track, but i dont count it because it's a reprise. but it has their signature sound and is very heavily strings laced, much like their "Altitude (Red Square Reprise)" from their first album. very tense and progressive as the track goes on. a strong mid-eastern inspired beat starts out "Salt" with usage of hand drums. the melodies and tone of Charlotte's voice are quite dark but are balanced with the uplifting beats. you hear your first taste of very heavy house beats in "Original Sin." i've never really been a big fan of hybrid's heavier house beats so i can't say much about this track.

"Take a Fall" is a very rock-influenced track. we hear Tim Hutton (Prodigy) taking the mic and we get to hear a male vocalist again. the track isn't very vocal-heavy at all once the beat comes in, and the beat manipulation in the chorus this track are pretty crazy. i'm a sucker for intelligent beats so this is also one of my top tracks of the album. "Break My Soul" was the first single that was released from this album. like "Formula of Fear," it is another well-balanced track vocally and technically. the bass lines are huge, breaks are smart, and the strings are really powerful. very interesting that there's a break in the song where it's just Charlotte James and an acoustic guitar. that is really unlike hybrid. but it works wonderfully! the album closes with "Numb," and i'm really liking the change in sound. again, this is very unlike them. and i wouldn't assume this was them if i heard it anywhere else. it's a slower song, so you get to hear and appreciate all the technical sounds hybrid perfects in their music. the strings, pianos, and drum brushes as live instruments sound great on this track. can't think of a better way to end the album.

my top tracks are: Empire, Formula of Fear, Take a Fall, Break My Soul, and Numb. must download!

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Disappear Here is a very strong album. it has tracks and elements that can fit almost any mood. it's a very well-rounded album, and while there is a track or two i can do without, it's an album definitely listen through all the way. but how does it rank in hybrid's collection of albums?

1. Wider Angle
2. I Choose Noise
2. Disappear Here
4. Morning Sci-Fi

Wider Angle was one of their best works and really cemented that hybrid sound (especially with Finished Symphony). with I Choose Noise i feel they almost outdid themselves by collaborating with Harry Gregson-Williams and making a much more epic and almost movie-score worthy dance album. Disappear Here, as i just reviewed, is a very solid album.. and is obvoius hybrid is going for a change of sound. while they kept a lot of their original elements, they did tone down their technicality to make room for their new singer/songwriter sound. but that's not a bad thing. I Choose Noise and Disappear Here are tied for second. Morning Sci-Fi doesn't even deserve third place.. for an album to almost make me not like an artist anymore, that's pretty bad.

i've never been able to photograph Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland because i'd be taking up the time of those i'm with.. so this past trip to Disneyland last Tuesday, i decided to head to the parks to meet up with people, but not call them up to meet until i finished. one day i'll take a solo trip and really get to photograph the rest of the park.. these are what came of my last trip:


dumbo and tim. visit flickr page.


pinnochio and jiminy cricket. visit flickr page.


chip and dale. visit flickr page.


goofy lost in thought. visit flickr page.


partners statue and castle. visit flickr page.


the castle from the right. visit flickr page.


the castle from the left. visit flickr page.


the owl and the castle. visit flickr page.

see the rest of the pictures i took that day.. CLICK HERE!

(click to zoom or visit it's flickr page)
these lobster nachos are quite a dish at The Cove bar at Ariel's Grotto in Disney's California Adventure. pair this with a few specialty cocktails and that in itself makes your trip to the Disney Resorts worth the day. a bit pricey at $11.99, but it can satisfy about three people or get two people really full. tender lobster pieces on top of corn tortilla chips topped with tomato, black beans, roasted pablano peppers, cilantro, and jack and cheddar cheeses? count me in!

the picture was taken by me yesterday when jowena and i decided to take a trip to the parks... in the DAY! i haven't been to the parks in the day for quite a long time considering i've only gone late afternoon or at night for the past year. it was a nice change of pace. a bit hot at times, but when in the shade, the cool breeze made for near perfect weather. although, it made for quite a tiring trip once the day was almost done.

here is a text conversation that i had with nick yesterday:

me: what are you up to?
nick: I'm chillin at a friends house. Wassup?
me: oh me gigz and Jowena are headed to ra in c.hills right now..
nick: For happy hour? Oo I wanna go! But I'm not sure. I got alot of reading hwk when I get home. I'll see.
nick: Nvm. I can't make it. Get a las Vegas roll.
me: oh... I wasn't inviting you.. just thought you might want to know what we were doing. so it works out perfectly!
nick: :( so mean to [me] Byron.

haha pwn3d.

i've never been one to suppress my thoughts on certain subject matter when it comes to this blog. but in this case, i waited until a situation was given enough time to 'blow over,' at least as much as it possibly could.. before i offer my two cents.

a while back, someone said some words to me -- powerful words. they struck a really bad chord (for the music buffs out there, we're talking an augmented fourth or diminished fifth). words that this person couldn't possibly fathom how much power they held; not in a good way at that. these words were offensive, demeaning, conceited, selfish, disrespectful and discrediting. these words took years of hard work, countless hours of time and effort, endless sacrifices made, trials and tribulations; and put them all to waste. this person said these words to me, to my face -- quite possibly the worst person to say them to. i can quote this person word for word, for there were not that many spoken. and there was no way to misconstrue or misunderstand the said words. this person claims to have had their words 'twisted' by others, but there was simply nothing to get twisted.

in the community, there are obviously some bad seeds. they share that 'typical' attitude. and for the record, while i disagree with it, i am in no way against it. i'm fine with it, but good luck to them. go ahead and be typical, but be respectful and use some common sense.

i'm not the type to ask for credit for the work i've done. if my work is recognized, great. if not, fine. but never discredit the work many have put in. it takes one to ignore or leave someone's work unrecognized. but it's a totally different ball game when someone blatantly takes it away.

and what makes me laugh about this whole thing.. is that i'm not the only one who feels this way. apparently this person's fellow peers find them to be a bad seed too.

it's unfortunate, really.

yesterday was quite eventful. disneyland in the afternoon, korean barbecue (first time ever!) for dinner, and then watched the midnight premiere of Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland." (movie review for another entry). pretty much spent the whole afternoon-night with Common Ground. what i noticed about CG is that it just seems like everyone's on the same page. that 'family' feeling is something i definitely miss. i'm amazed at how much they appreciate, recognize, and include their alumni. not only in social gatherings, but in practices, performances, and retreats. really reminded me of bMod circa 2007-2009.

do i regret not dancing anymore? at times i think i do. but i know my time was up. i wasn't improving anymore.. well actually, i dont think i was allowing myself to improve. close with those still in the dance community, i do get envious of their endeavors within the community -- whether it's making their dream teams or even as simple as auditioning for something; it's something i truly admire. i do have regrets of not branching out as much as i know i could: taken more classes or tried out for something. i could lie and just say it was being a director for bMod that kept me from doing those things, but it wasn't. it was i, myself, that disallowed such actions to be taken.

but again, i may regret what i didn't do as a dancer. but no regrets stopping. it was simply my time.

to good times:


and cheers to a handful of alumni coming out tonight to chill-catchup-party-sleepover!

i'm still alive. in case you were wondering.