his name is ivann

Hey, long time no see!

2009-07-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

So, yes, I know I haven’t updated this thing in a few days but I've got good reason...Uhm...I just didn’t feel like it. Good enough, right? Anyways, I had some time today to add a new post so why not, right?

My weekend was alright. It was eventful and educational. This Saturday was the 4th of July and, much like everyone else in the US-of-A, I was excited to celebrate it. The first thing I did was spend some actual time with the fam during a very appetizing BBQ full of beans, red rice, chicken, carne asada, and hot sauces of all kind! (My favorite's the green hot sauce) But again, what else do you expect from a Mexican family, right? So, after stuffing ourselves silly with spoonfuls of food, it was then time to go check out the fireworks at the annual fairgrounds. Now, I haven’t actually been to any fireworks show in years (other than the ones seen from my backyard) but I was feeling up to it so I decided to tag along.

The park where the fair was being held was one that I had visited many times before when I was around, say, 10 to 13 years old? Before I used to go with my older neighbors who used to live, well, next door, but ever since they moved away I have been m.i.a. from the fire show. It was actually pretty nice to be at a place I used to love to go to except it had changed a little since I last remember. Sure, the rides were all still the same vomit inducing rides as before but the overall feeling of the place took on a new and unfamiliar form. The ratio of underage Jr. High kids to every one adult was nauseating and threatening to myself. Snotty little brats running around like they owned the place, acting way too grown up for their age, gaining pretty big balls while around their group of equally annoying friends and walking around in last winter’s fashions. It wasn’t until we walked around and out of the park entrance and to the back of one of the rides, waiting for the kids to get on and off the "crazy shell" ride, that I was comfortable around people my age. People who were just out for a walk or accompanying family members to the park for lack of better plans. It was nice to simply stand around, without the obnoxious tweens dressed like mini-Kanyes yelling across the park at a familiar face. We spent most of our time behind the scenes while swaying and lip-syncing to Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and checking out the single parents strolling by with their kids not far behind. Maybe that was just me. The light show was scheduled to start at 9pm sharp but the only problem with that is that we were all the way across, on opposite side of the park, where the fireworks were supposed to be going off and we only had about 10 minutes to find a seat in an already packed stadium on the other side of the fair. Needless to say, we made it with 2 minutes to spare as we were hauling ass through the swarm of zombies carelessly wondering around. We found some empty bench space right in front of the high school band playing 'God Bless America' and 'America the Beautiful' (reoccurring theme, perhaps?) and bathed in the awful stench of powdered cheese plus melted mayonnaise divided by two steaming hot ears of corn. You guys, I've never smelled anything worse than that smell. The stale cheetos smell emanating from some people came in close second but this 'snack' odor beat it hands down. Guess who had the honor of sitting right beside the little girl eating!...ugh...But, all the negativity washed off my body when the roar of the crowd and the first explosion filled the sky. It’s weird how a simple fireworks show could muster up so much pride for America but it did. I was glad I went out that night and glad to be living in such a place although the country still has A LOT of growing up to do. A LOT.

So, after a pretty chilly night filled with old memories and, uh, new smells, I got home, kicked off my shoes and sank into the living room couch with a smile on my face. That was my 4th of July.

Fast forward two Monday when I was FINALLY given the okay to register for the Fall semester of school and how entangled I was in negative thoughts about my availability. Being hard up for cash is brutal but luckily I have enough saved up to pay for my classes and keep enough on the side for the bills. Hey, thanks recession! (Hey, fuck you recession!) I also got to work on some small projects I had lined up for myself and by the end of the day I was feeling quite accomplished. Nothing better than knowing you did something worth your time, right?

So, now I sit here on a Tuesday, listening to Jordin Sparks' "Battlefield" and completely loving it. This song is the new jam! I forgive her for working with the dbag named Chris Brown on the track "No Air." If you havent heard the song you should. It's pretty great. I think there's a video out for it...Yip! Here it is:

Vectors, and such...

2009-07-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Now, as a few of you guys may or may not have notice but I recently created a cartoon or "vector" version of myself to use as an avatar. What's that? Havent noticed? Look at the 'About Me' section. Yeah. So recently a friend over at Twitter asked if I could make one for him and, after emailing back and forth, he sent me a few pictures and I worked my magic. I showed him the finished product and it appeared as though he liked the outcome. I felt pretty proud of myself, as anyone would, but then I started to get others asking if I could do the same for them. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I'm always willing to help out a friend and I have no problem taking on a favor so what next? Well this is where you come in...sorta.

I'm currently talking to someone who might want one made of them but have heard from a few others and to them I say YES. If you would like a vector made of a yourself or anything else, hit me up and let me know. Of course, this is a first come/first serve kinda thing because the icons do take about a day to make (depending on the amount of detail and clarity of the image) You can always reach me on Twitter or Myspace in the 'Contact' menu above or reach me direct on Yahoo! Email at ChristianIvann@yahoo.com

A few things that make a good vector is a picture that has clear lines only because a blurred image makes it harder to seperate lips/hairline/eyes/ears/etc. Another thing is the image size. The bigger the picture the better but small pictures can also be used (going back to clarity) but it'll probably take a little bit longer to make. Bottom line, if interested let me know. I'll most likely say yes...unless youre a total d-bag. In which case, I'll somply ask you to go fuck yourself. We'll talk about my starting rate later ;)

Vector genius(LOLz),
ChristianIvann

PWNED!

2009-06-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Usualy I do this over twitter but tonight i thought id switch it up. Besides, this way I dont drive people following me insane with my constant tweet. I present to you...My homage to the greatest PWNS of all time! Enjoy.

BREAKING NEWS - World renown pitchman, Billy Mays, has died...

2009-06-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Oh no! I CANNOT believe this one. I refuse to. Billy Mays has passed away due to complications from a hard plane landing in Florida. At least that's what I'm hearing on Twitter. I just got the news a few seconds ago from one of my Twitter followers. I'm in complete shock right now. He and Sully were just on Conan the other night. Just shows how unexpected life can be. This is the saddest thing I've ever heard. Deeply transcends the Michael/Farrah deaths because Billy seemed like a common's man hero in my eyes. He appeared to have a kind soul and tremendous heart that touched everyone around him. Anyone would be so lucky as to have been part of his life. When I read Billy's son's tweet: "YoungBillyMays: On my way to the house. He's gone. I'm gonna be strong for him. Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers everyone" I had no clue he spoke about his father. My well wishes go out to the Mays family in hopes that they can get through this horrible accident and come out the other side of the tragedy stronger than ever and smiling the smile Mr. Mays used to grace the world.

In Loving Memory

Billy Mays

July 20, 1958 - June 28, 2009

Make yourself a VECTOR! (see my blogger icon)

2009-06-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, Ive never made a vector before in my life but I thought id try it out. I got out of my (downloaded) photoshot CS4 and got to work on my profile picture. You can use any picture you want. I'm not going to have step-by-step pictures in the post because I didnt save my steps when making my own vector but ill try to be as descriptive as posible.

Personaly, I hate it when you go through a walkthrough or tutorial of any sort and they ASSUME that you are as photoshop literate as thay are and they dont take the time to fully explain. So, ill give it a go and we'll see how turns out. The first thing you need to know is a way of outlining a certain section of a photograph (ie, eyes, mouth, hair, clothes, and sometimes even shadows) but incase you dont know how to use the PEN TOOL (P) (for PS CS4, its the icon above the "T" text icon on the tray to your left) If you have a different type of Pen Tool switch back to the regular setting (right click on icon and choose PEN TOOL) Everyone has their own way of section parts of an image but this is mine:

Pull out an image that has clear lines and edges. If the image is blurry then itll be a lot harder to distinguish where something ends and the other begins. Try the unsharp mask option if needed (Filter > Shapren > Unsharp Mask) It doesnt matter how sharp you make the image because its only going to be used as a refference point. The idea of this is to think of it as if youre holding a blank sheet of paper over an image and tracing out different sections.

Step one: Find a place to start.
To use the pen tool, make a starting point by clicking on anywhere of the outline of the shape then for your second point, click and hold down and move around the mouse/track pack to get a nice rounded line if needed. For straight lines just click a starting point, go up to the end of the straight line, and click a second point. Viola! A straight line.

Sometimes as you go along, the way you make curves and set point down will cause the upcoming line to bend or fold in an awkward way. If this happens, go back to the last point and re-click on it to change it. If it keeps acting up, go back (CTRL+Z or CTRL+ALT+Z) twice and set the points closer together.

Make points all around the object you want to color first until the continues line touches beginning to end (the small point should no longer be seen, replaced by a thin line) and right click WHILE INSIDE the section outlined then left click on "Make Selection" and finally "Okay." If done right, the solid line should have turned into an "and track" line or moving dashed line. Now that you have your shirt or head or eyes selected its time to move on.

Step Two: DO NOT click on the image again after the selected line is activated.
Go up to Layer > New > Layer and call it what ever it is you are selecting. It should now appear above your original image in the Layers Pallet to your right. Highlight the new layer and go to your colors to pick out the most used color in your selected object. There might be some shadowing but dont worry about that now. If there are small details with different colors then the object you can ignore them if theyre small or continue to select them on a new layer. While still highlighting the NEW layer, click on the Paint Bucket tool on the left side of Photoshop and pill in your first selection. If you look at my blog pic, I started with my jacket.

The end result should be a colored in section of your picture. Youre probobly thinking "Why did i make a new layer if its just going to paint over the original image?" Actually, it doesnt paint the original picture. It paints the new layer ABOVE your picture. Remember, this entire thing is going to be a puzzle and if you paint directly onto your image with out a new layer then if you mess up youre going to begin all over again. If youre tracing a picture would you draw directly on the original image and ruin it or make a copy? Exactly! To move onto the next section of the image, hide the other layers by clicking the small eye in the box to the right of your picture and continuing on.

These two steps are the MAIN ones needed as everything else now is repeated steps one and two for everything you want to include in your finished vector. By the end you should have many layers depending on the amount of clothing or body parts in the pic. If a picture has different colors like hair or shadowing, start with the base color (Red hair with yellow streaks? Start selecting ALL the hair and color it red, then create new layer and select the second color and fill it with what ever the color may be.)

When youre done, delete the original image by draging it to the small trash icon in the layers pallet and flatten your image (if you want an invisible background on your pic, go to Layers > Merge Visible after your unhide everything or else it'll automaticly add a white or black background.) When all your layers are merged into one big picture, save it as a .PNG or .JPG unless you have an invisible background. JPEG works best if you have a lot of color in a picture. .PNG is best if theres a lot of color also but it takes up more space. I use .PNG cause i think its better quality but who knows.

For those who have an invisible background and want to use it as a seperate layer in a layout or some other design, go to FILE > Save For Web & Device and make sure PNG-24 is selected and a check on the Transparency option and go down to the bottom to Save. In the next window, name your picture and save it as IMAGE ONLY .png! Your image preview should show your picture set to a checkered background. Dont worry, it wont save it as a checkered back drop! even when you try to upload it to imageshack.com or something it might show as a black background but dont worry. Once you insert it into a image code or as an icon somewhere, it'll show your vector and not the black background.

By the way, when it comes to uploading a vector to get the image link, i find that imagechack is best for pictures with transparent backgrounds. Other sites dont support it or the image is too big. Havent had trouble with ImageShack.

Close photoshop and enjoy your vector. I know, I know. Its very time consuming especially if youre anal like me but youll get it. Thats why its best to ignor the smaller details and go for the main ones. Dont be scared to get artistic by leaving the eyes out like my picture or ignore the mouth. It doesnt have to be perfect. It just depends on how you want it to look.

Here are some examples of some other vectors. These arent made by me but they should help you with your style:

If my tutorial totaly sucked balls, feel free to let a pro teach you at http://www.heathrowe.com/

R.I.P

2009-06-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, its true. Farrah Fawcett has indeed lost her battle to cancer but as if that wasnt enough bad news we've also gotten wind of Michael Jackson's deadly heart attack. Jackson's death is probobly the most shocking out of the two as we knew Farrah was fighting for her life for a while now. It wasnt until I got back from the theater that I got news of the deaths. Now, I'm not going to post the ENTIRE news story because, well, im too lazy to do so :/

On the front page of CNN's website (cnn.com) the headline reads:

"'King of Pop' Michael Jackson is dead"

While still on CNN, Farrah Fawcett is also mentioned:

"Farrah Fawcett, sex symbol and actress, dies"

Click on the CNN link above to read more about their lives and deaths.

Rest In Peace:

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009)

Transformers 2 (personal) Review

2009-06-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

I went to check out the latest Transformers movie (Transformers 2, obviously) and was very excited to finally go see it. Truthfully, I hadnt seen the first one all the way through but instead caught tidbits here and there but this sequel got me excited. By what they showed on the commercials I could tell that there was going to be a lot more action this time around and the bots wouldnt be hidden in the night. I came into the theatre knowing that there were mixed reactions coming from those who've seen it during opening night. Some said it was THE summer movie of the year while others simply said...meh...but I wanted to see it for myself.

Right off the bat, during the first 15 minutes, we were thrown into the first action sequence involving a bunch of kitchen appliances and Sam's (Shia LeBeouf) family. We were also given a taste of He and Mikaela Banes (Beautiful Megan Fox) romance drama. Anyways, I'm not gonna go through the movie play by play because I dont wanna ruin it for anyone who hasnt seen it already but I will say this. I came out of the theater pleased...sort of...

The thing with me is that I enjoy a REALLY good story thats why I dont watch much action as it feels like the CGI and special effects are masking the heart of a movie and this film is no different. The "storyline" I did see was in between long action sequences, which are beautifuly done by the way, but shiny cars and explosions isnt going to keep my attention for very long. Maybe its just me but for an action movie this did great but there was no connection that I made with the characters or their lives. I liked the movie more for the intriquet sets/effects and, of course, Megan Fox. There are some good comedic lines in the film that inspire a chuckle or three but after all is said i'd give it a partial thumbs up. Why? The movie was one looooong action sequence with last minute "I love you's" thrown in to fill in for the low moments. Michael Bay was being Michael Bay by going balls out (literaly) on the over the top action but behind the steel and steering wheels, there was a very weak connection made by me if any. Kinda like watching a good chick fight, you know? Youre glad you did. It was awesome while it lasted but completely forgotten about the next day.

Havent already seen the movie? Go check it out for yourself if only for the fact that you and the other fan boys can gush about how amazing Artemis Prime is and trust me, THERE WILL BE FAN BOYS IN THE THEATER.

P.S. Excuse any typos. Im in my backyard and my dog is jumping on my lap.

Ummm...

2009-06-24T16:49:00.001-07:00

Remember those good old days when you were a kid and you'd make those catchy little jingles in your head. You know, songs about dead birds or the most amazing nut shot you gave your friend? Have you ever actually sang them outloud to other people? Probably not unless you're this guy. Its my pleasure to introduce to you...Branston Aniston or "Ted Pillman" as he's known in his YouTube channel. (as seen on G4)

With classics like "Hey, Big Titted Bitch!"...

and "I Crapped In My Pants"...

Pillman (Aniston) is sure to go down as the most rediculous alter ego on YouTube! Thanks internets!

Jon and Kate plus DRAMA!

2009-06-23T03:13:00.000-07:00

Laying here watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 and I figured I'd do another blog update (don't judge me! This is my blog!) So, this whole thing is quite uncomfortable to watch. Not only am I uncomfortable with Kate's hair but I'm also uncomfortable with the whole situation.

In case you've been off the face of the earth for the past few months and haven't heard already, Jon and Kate are going through some marriage turmoil that happens to be playing out in front of the world. Headlines of infidelity plague the tabloids linning the shelves even though its apparent that they are much more than just gossip. First it was speculated that Jon was hooking up with a younger woman then it was said that Kate and her MARRIED bodyguard were shacking up and who's caught in the middle? That's right. Those eight kiddies (1 set of twins, 1 set of sextuplets. Don't ask me their names) These people have been together for 10 years and now it looks like they're separating for good. It looks like the tabloids have gotten to the pair as they can hardly be in the same room anymore and even when they are I wonder if they're digitally composited together instead.

So, is this the product of "alleged" infidelity or the curse of reality TV? You know, the curse that strikes any and all couples who decide to do a reality show together? Wait, you don't know about the curse? The same one that struck Dave Navarrow and Carmen Electra then Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson and now the beloved Jon and Kate Gosselin. Oh, but who could forget the on-again-off-again pair of insanity that was Travis Barker and Shana Moakler?! Its the age old battle of fame over real love. One person gets a big head (covered in 1999 soccer mom hairdo) and the other person gets another type of swollen head. Right?...cause Jon "allegedly" cheated...with his penis...and not with Kate's vagina...right? I guess I can't speak for them because I'm not part of their "real" life and can't speak on either of their behalf but it just seems like their relationship wasn't as strong as they thought. Perhaps it was too rushed in the beginning? There's always that one person who changes in the relationship and causes turmoil in the relationship but, like I said, this is personal thought as I don't know them myself. But honestly, its not like we didn't know that they would eventually call it quits. At least I did.

So what happens when daddy pokes another woman (allegedly!) and mommy won't cut her hair? Divorce. And this is where they're heading. Their upcoming promos are hinting at a "big announcement" and its no surprise that they're gonna cross their T's and dot the I's for good...OR maybe they'll reveal that Kate's getting a new hair style...OKAY! That was my last hair joke I promise... ... ...Kate's hair is stupid...

What does this mean for the kids? Who knows but the custody battle would sure make for great tv! TLC's probably already filming in preparation. I wonder who'll keep the camera crew? Will there be a pre-nup? Who's getting the cash? Stay tuned to TLC...and every other entertainment network to see how this ends! ...Kate's hair...

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

I had to. im sorry!

2009-06-22T23:32:00.000-07:00

I had to come back and post this. I originally saw this earlier on 'Attack of the Show' on G4 and laughed so hard I started to tear up. Its simple yet incredibly funny. Now, the video appears on YouTube under user "CoconutFishy" and thank Manon for it. We've all seen endless amounts of Beyonce's "Single Ladies" dance videos made by fans but this has got to be the best. Why? Sure, it could be the clown mask that sets it apart from the rest but honestly, its this poor girls battle with the television. Just watch.

I WISH I could take credit for this video but that goes to CoconutFishy on YouTube. PWNED!

First post mufkrs!

2009-06-22T21:20:00.001-07:00

Alright. Here's the thing. I've always had a social website account but for some reason I wanted to start a blog. Why? I dont know yet. Maybe im just bored but whatever. Dont know if im going to stick with this 'blogging' thing but who knows, right? I mean, what am I supposed to write on here? Come to think of it, I do have a few things to put on here. Mostly things I find interesting and/or funny. Maybe once in a while add a little tidbit about my life. Perhaps a rant or two? Sure. Why not, right? Anyways, the first post, or "blog," is always as awkward as ending a blind date so lets just nervously hug, shake hands, promise to call each other the next day, then totaly forget about one another the following morning. What'd ya say?

By the way...i totally do...