WTF: Blade of the Immortal Anime Series?

I've been reading Blade of the Immortal in manga format over 10 years now. It's one of my favorite manga. Hiroaki Samura really crafted something special with the title. His art style is really unique cause he incorporates many panels done in a finished, shaded pencil style rather than in inked line art which most Japanese manga choose to incorporate. I'd go into the story but you could use the links to do that yourself. I came across news of the anime series browsing the web for new anime releases to pick up for the store. I was quite shocked to see this because Samura has stated many times over in interviews that he doesn't believe the manga could function properly as an anime title. What changed his mind is still a mystery as no interviews have surfaced yet. The series is being handled by Production I.G's (Ghost in the Shell) subsidiary BeeTrain studios (.Hack, Madlax, Noir). The director is Koichi Mashimo. Personally I'm very skeptical of the series working as an anime due to the art style not likely able to make a good transition to color successfully. The pencil shaded art style plays a key role in how the manga handles things like character expression, action and even anatomy. I just don't think it'll work well in color. We'll have to wait and see though. The series starts airing on Japan's AT-X animation satellite channel the 24th of April.

Chromeo Is Straight Killing the Game!

Helped George move into his new place today. While we were making trips back and fourth to his new and old apt, I kept hearing these weird 80's tracks on his girlfriends car stereo. I asked what it was and they told me it's a group called Chromeo. These muthafuckas are straight killing it right now. I downloaded both albums and they've been getting heavy spins on the iPod (Fancy Footwork is my favorite track). If your a fan of 80's themed music with a twist or remember the Vince DeCola days (he did the Rocky IV and Transformer Movie music) will fall in love with this shit. Check the mySpace link and give them a shot.

When is it Safe to Quit your Job?

"When we judge people and find them coming up short, we then start to criticize and micromanage them. In the age of the sensitive knowledge-based worker, thats a self destructive cycle. It engenders nothing but resentment and push-back."

Steve Chandler
The Hands off Manager

When is it safe to quit your job? Does your dissatisfaction with your boss or work environment factor in? Maybe relocation plays a key. You could just want to try something new. I've been asking myself that alot over the last few months. Its getting harder juggling two jobs and working seven day weeks. Its not physically draining, its just hourly taxing. I'm working 60 hour weeks. Now I'm not retarded, I know most people in the employment field have it harder than me, but I still have to be truthful to myself. You must come first or life ain't worth living. I feel like my youth is passing me by. I don't go out as much with the fellas, I'm missing recent movies, falling behind on my novel reading etc. This strange fucking feeling just keeps bubbling in my stomach and fear and indecisiveness is messing with my thinking. I've been thinking of quiting my bar tending job altogether and just dedicating myself to the video store full time. It would restore me to my earlier, vigorous self. I would have new goals and priorities. It's a very stupid move financially but it could give me the initiative to push the store to new heights. Another option is to sell the store in December and continue bar tending full time, getting 2 bar gigs and working them for a couple of years and building a bigger nest egg. Money plays a large role in how I live my life so its always good to feel financially secure. Bartending does provide me with vast amounts of cash for little work. The future is unpredictable and you never know what life will throw at you so its always good to plan for a rainy day. I'm pretty torn about this. I know way too many people with financial turmoil to make my move now, but I could just be using that as a cover to hide my fear of failure if I was to move on and not make it. What do you guys think? Comment below.

March Rain is Killing Business.

What the fuck is up with the rain we've been getting the last 3 weeks? Three straight weeks of rain on Friday and Saturday. Its nuts! Only on the weekends, like some fucking curse. Brasils and Heat are getting slaughtered by it and Galaxy Video is down 60%! If this continues I might as well sell out, pack my shit and move to Miami.

Howard Stern Still Got it!

Rita G was on the Howard Stern show. She really took the cake as one of the most unintelligent women I've ever seen on the show. For those who don't know (women), Rita G is the sexy girl from Kanye Wests Flashing Lights video.

Real or Fake - The best bloopers are a click away

Drunk Francko! Retired!

" He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

Winston Churchill

After embarrassing myself in front of my co workers at Heat last weekend. I've decided to put drunk Francko behind me.He had a good run. You've seen the mySpace pics. $200 to $500 tabs. Invitations to parties way out of his league. A knack for embarrassing himself in public. An amazing ability to make enemies of friends and family. A passion for making out with ugly women. But its time to grow up.

Grow Up and Stop Crying!

" To the ladies and gentleman that may have taken offense to my blog. I say Fuck You and good day. "

Frances Angelo Francois II
Da Blue Mood

You call or email without purpose. You bore me with speeches but wont comment the blog. You call me vain for sharing opinions. Fuck off. Its all in good fun people.

Brian, Booze and Broads.

"The masculine error is to think that eventually things will be different in some fundamental way. They wont. It never ends. As long as life continues, the creative challenge is to tussle, play and make love with the present moment while giving your unique gift."

David Deida
The Way of the Superior Man

My pal Brian Charles (read his journal section) stopped by the store the other day. He just got two graphic design jobs and was in the mood to celebrate. After closing up we hit up the Khyber for a few beers and shot the shit. Four beers in, the conversation changed to women (as it always does) and fears and expectations in life. Now for those of you who don't know Brian he's my polar opposite. I'm a pessimistic, reclusive asshole :(, he's an optimistic, erudite, vagrant :), so when we get together the shit hits the fan 9/10 times. We think differently so that makes for good conversation. We began exchanging abstractions on what our ideal woman should be. Brian being an artist believes that couples should share various similarities for a relationship to work. He's been in several long term relationships with artists so I agreed with him to a point. The problem is his relationships usually end badly (sorry to put you on Front St). Why pursue something that usually ends up hurting you? I believe successful relationships usually consist of women who're your complementary opposite. Unlike Brian my relationships rarely last past 6 months (99% of the time its my fault.), but I'm still friends with the majority of exes and keep in contact with most of them. We argued this for several hours and of course came to no conclusion (read quote above) but a good time was had by all. Comment below bitches.

Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and the Unlucky!

"You can die from someone else's misery - emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may think your helping the drowning man but your only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and the fortunate instead."

Robert Greene
The 48 Laws of Power

Real talk. February was a real tough month for the kid. Besides the shit I've had to put up with juggling two jobs, old friends have been popping up left and right asking for favors that's been slowly taxing my financial and emotional progress. Now I don't know if its a metro-sexual thing (I consider myself an old school alpha) but this seems to be a problem facing a vast majority of males I encounter (lady's seem to have a grip on shit in Philly). To me being a man represents standing on your own two feet, taking responsibility for your actions. Most of us encounter trying times in life, some more than others, how you overcome those obstacles are what determines how a person views you as a man. Asking for help is acceptable to me if its done in moderation, but showing extreme weakness' such as repeatedly asking to borrow money, needing a place to crash, lacking direction, mooching and the worst of all repeated indecisiveness really puts a strain on my respect for a person. A friend should be an equal, someone you respect. How do you respect a fuck up? I don't respect patsy's or underlings and certainly don't want them in my circle. I believe they'll bring you down. Am I being too judgmental, harsh? Comment and share your opinions. I can use another point of view on this cause its really fucking with me emotionally.