Media Consumed: Ichi and More!

So, my birthday party was on Saturday. Granted, the week leading up to the 3rd was interesting, what with Makal breaking his ankle and all. Thursday afternoon we went to the Portland Art Museum because we'd pre-ordered tickets for the (sold-out) event, and were both pretty sure they'd have free wheelchairs for visitors who needed them. Friday was spent mainly cleaning and doing a bit of prep for Saturday, as well as dying my hair that evening. This is actually the first time I've dyed my hair a plain ol' black, and I actually like it a lot (and got a lot of compliments on it). Remarkably, I don't look like some gothling who just picked up a box of Black 01 from the corner market (even though I did); it actually fits me fairly well, and the blue tones in the dye make my blue eyes stand out more (I think).

Then Saturday, people arrived as early as 11a through to 4 or 5p (and as expected, many didn't leave til the next day). That evening, we drank a lot of alcohols--one of my presents was a huge bottle of Parrot Bay, and some of the guys played "Wizard". (Side Note: last year, guys fought eachother with shinai.) Wizard is a drinking game that requires tape (duct or packing) and at least a six pack of cheap long neck beers. Basically as you finish a can, you tape a new (closed) can to the top, thereby making a "wizard's staff"; by the time your staff is complete, you will have magical powers and be able to cast spells. Muggles will think it looks like you're just "casting" beer into other people's laps as you gesture wildly, but truly, you are a spell-casting wizard. The record was a 7-beer wizard's staff; needless to say, he was plastered.

Anyways, one of the main focuses of the evening, apart from Guitar Hero II (for which we had two actual controllers!) was watching funny, amusing, or odd videos, mainly on YouTube. A lot of these I'd seen, as our friend Dutch was doing much of the VJing and he links a lot of videos to me. We watched enough videos, in fact, that I felt they were worth compiling into a full list. This isn't the order we watched them in (though how awesome would that be if my friends were anal-retentive enough to drunkenly watch stupid videos in alphabetical order?!) but it is fairly comprehensive.

• Adventure Time - This video is pure beauty. Watch it and perhaps you'll understand. Since its debut on Nickelodeon (really) as a short on Jan. 10 of this year, it has become an instant online success. You'll be shouting things like "mathematical!" and "my hat is awesome!" in no time. ;). (Wikipedia)
• Battle of the Ad Bands - I first saw this months ago, via BoingBoing or some similar popmedia outlet. It is indeed a great tribute to the lost art of album cover design.
• Dad's Home - Originally a flash animation, this video chronicles the fall of Dad after he arrives home. I don't know why he's so cheery, but it sure seems like he had an interesting day at work... Watch for him in "Ultimate Showdown" later in the list.
• Dir En Grey: Obscure (uncensored) - If you're a fan of Japanese horror films, you will LOVE this video, if not for the awesomeness that is Dir en Grey, then for the fact that it was directed by Takashi Miike. Double <3.>
• Dir En Grey: Clever Sleazoid (scary version) - This is not so much a music video like the above, but rather is a presentation of the lyrics this person hears in this song. Granted, the real lyrics are in fact in English, but where engrish is concerned... yeah. It is however absolutely fucking hilarious; the last line, if you don't read the translation, is "One day I will fuck your parents." Non-sequitor FTW!
  
• Extras: Patrick Stewart - Makal first found the audio version of this clip from Extras months ago as a YTMND website, which he promptly showed to many friends. This version, with the accompanying video (and better audio quality) is much more fun. Oh Patrick Stewart, I always figured you for a pervy bastard.
  
• Extras: Sir Ian McKellen - I don't know how they manage to hold a straight face during these interviews, but by gawd, they're hilarious. I love the timeline of "Sir Ian McKellen vs. Gandolf", but all the lines are hilarious.
  
• George Washington - He saves children, but not the British Children. Washington, George Washington. The artist has more at his website Creased Comics. :D
  
• Japanese Guy does [non]DDR Game - I inserted the "non" there because this is obviously not DDR, though it is a similar style of gameplay. I'm not sure what this game is, though I'm pretty sure that no human should be this good at it. Crazy Japanese.
• Kelly: Shoes - Kelly is the creation of comedian and actor Liam Sullivan, who plays several of the other characters seen in the video (and its sequel, below). As someone at the party said, "Damn hula-hoop fire dancers..." Indeed.
  
• Kelly: Text Message Break Up - This video not only features more hot babes than "Shoes", but has some appearances by the divine Margaret Cho. (Did you know she's a fan dancer?) I want to go to that club!
  
• Lordi: Hard Rock Hallelujah - Oh high school, that precious period of angst, hard rock and... zombie cheerleaders? If only my high school experience had been similar! It would've been too awesome to lead a troup of zombie cheerleaders against the heathen of my school.
  
• Lord of the Rings: How it Should Have Ended - It's true; if the Fellowship had just taken this course of action, things would have been much simpler. Walk to Mordor? Nobody would walk that far.
  
• Polysics: I My Me Mine - I loved this video enough to download the band's discography. They're music is pretty much all the same--and by that, I mean Devo-licious--but it is all fun. I can't get over how great this video is!
  
• Polysics: Electric Surfin' Go Go - This music video picks up where "I My Me Mine" left off, and though it's not as fun to watch, I think the song is better.
  
• Star Trek Mashup: Closer - A masterful mashup of various old-skool Star Trek clips set to the sound of "Closer"; Leonard Nimoy looks extra creepy while William Shatner appears extra slutty. What's different, you ask? Well, the music, of course. ;)
  
• They're Made of Meat! - Yes, meat. All of them, made of meat. How do they do the things they do? How have they become so advanced? For sacks of meat, they can sure do a lot...
  
• Ultimate Showdown - This is the video I mentioned Dad has a cameo in; basically, all the ultimate characters have a showdown ("only one can survive"). You can probably think of a few more folks to add in, but overall this is a pretty good list--and a damn catchy tune, which you can download on the Lemon Demon band website.

That was all watched Saturday night, though we rewatched a few things on Sunday. We also watched Ichi the Killer, because that movie is awesome and somebody had brought it. Now, I've no idea how it happened, but Sunday night as we were going to bed, I ended up sick. :P Within half an hour of going to bed at 10p, I felt miserable and got up to take a bath. And while I had full intention to go back to bed, once I got out (after passing out in the tub, waking up in a tub of cold water, draining and refilling it with hot water, then passing out again) I was too miserable to go back to bed. I spent the following hours alternating between the couch and the bathroom, either bathing or hoping I didn't throw up even though I'd probably feel better (or both). Ugh. Then once Makal got up at about 6:30 Monday morning, I was either taking a bath or utterly passed out, cozy inside a sleeping bag left out from people sleeping over. I slept through most of the day and feel like I had no Monday since I saw so little of the daylight hours; once evening rolled around I started to feel better and could actually sit upright for a bit. I know you may be inclined to think this was a hangover, but no. I drank at my party, but I didn't get drunk (far from it). I've no idea what got me sick, other than your basic 24-hour flu that my weakened-by-lots-of-activity immune system couldn't turn away. At least I can eat food again.

So despite an impromptu illness and an unexpected broken ankle, my birthday week was pretty good. Of course, I love any excuse to have people gather and talk, whether it's "for me" or not.