» Not a chance...

Since Terri Schiavo died (thank God it's over), I had to post. Well, of course that isn't the reason. A few new things happened in the last few weeks and I'll start by telling that I scored a new job. It's part-time perhaps 10 to 20 hours a week. I'll be working at a film studio (which I rather not mention here for professional reasons) doing some translation work for a documentary, which is being filmed in Brazil, and also some cutting and editing. The way I see it: I always wanted to go to school to learn a bit more about the way movies are made. Now I can learn and instead of paying for it, I'll be getting payed. Thanks to my 2004 feature "the one eyed man..." (which is in the download page):

Harold and Maude are back from hibernation. I had to raise the temps here at the house, gradually for two days. They did it pretty well. No eye infections, not weight loss. Just two cute piles of joy. They were really hungry, though...

HAROLD:

MAUDE:

While all this was going on, I had a little shopping spree at E-bay. I finally found the old Japanese Nitto Maschinen Krieger models for sale. Man, i've been looking for the original series for ages. Well, the first order came last Monday:

The kits are a bit hard to put together, but once done, they are beautiful. I'm going to need some modeler's paint and some more cement when the 2nd and 3rd order arrive. Straight from Singapore. And of course I had to post about the show last night at the Larimer Lounge. It was fun, and besides the snow, people showed up.

» *Sneeze* ...I'll be fine (part 2)

I still feel like crap. The sneezes are gone, but now I'm left with a awful cough and a nose just like Rudolph's. I'll get better!

We made the Hot Shotz - Interviews in this week's KAFFEINE BUZZ. I'm not sure what to think. But it's exposure at the least. Read now, since it's PHP and I can't get my hands in a final link.

And finally, Mr. Legrand (Jena's dad) is here. Remodeling is on the way. The whole place looks like it was bombed by RAF, though:

» *Sneeze* ...I'll be fine.

Ok, I got sick. Really sick. In the eight (almost 9) years I've been living in the US, I don't think I ever got it this bad. I feel like an old man, all my joints hurt, my nose: a waterfall. Jenny is getting better, though. Which in a way, is perfect. I don't think it would've been good to have both of us under the weather...

We have been working at the guest house on and off for the past two weeks, I think I finally have something to show you guys:

A little before:

A little after:

We are not even close to be done, since we are still going to build a whole new kitchen in there. But it's a start, and it's starting to look good. Some bad luck this morning with the humidifier in the turtle box: it broke, finito, it does not work. Which is a really awful thing when your turtles are hibernating (they're in their 10th day). We have another one, not as powerful, but it's doing the job right now. I had a little trouble getting the pipe fittings right...The other thing: it snowed last night, and I thought it was a great idea to go in the hot tub outside, right after I woke up. I got undressed and put half of my body underwater, to find out that the tub was off all night. COLD FREEZING WATER!!!! That sucked.

» Denver Zoo - The search for Tex

I won't lie. When I decided to go to the Zoo this morning, it wasn't to see zebras or giraffes. I wanted to see turtles. It was a special visit to the Ornate Box Turtles. You see, they were listed under the Amphibians and Reptiles directory of the Denver Zoo . I arrived about 11:00AM. I gotta say: the place is huge. Without "any ideia where to go" I wondered to the right of the gates. You have to realize that it is winter here in Denver (I didn't), a lot of the animals weren't there at all. On my way down the "Primate Panorama" I encountered some macaques. Two males and a female.

Feisty little guys. They kept knocking on the glass. If they knew what "giving the bird" was, I would've probably gotten several. I kept walking. Mountain Sheep, Kangaroos, Tigers... Giraffes, Birds galore, a couple of elephants and some bears:

Ok, the baby giraffe was really cute, but their habitat was so ugly, that I decided not to take a picture. So I walked some more...and found more Pachyderms!!! A Rhinoceros. The picture came out all fuzzed up. Bummer. At this point I was half way. Pretty hot for the middle of January...I drove my moped to the Zoo, so I had a lot of clothing on. It was then that I spotted the Penguins:

They had just fed them. The place smelled like putrid fish...But they were nice, sunbathing in the sun, doing their laps in the water.

I knew they had a Reptile Room or something. I had to be close. Across the "Northern Shores" where the Seals live, I finally saw the triangular building. "Tropical Discovery". I thought to myself: REPTILES...hehehehe. It was beautiful. The setups (habitats) were amazing...one after the other:

In the habitat pictured above, I spotted a Western Painted Turtle (native of Colorado) on the back. I knew it! I was on the right place. Then after passing the Boa Constrictors I found some Spot-Bellied Sidenecks:

They were full grown adults. I counted about four of those guys. I was still walking, when I realized I had gone through the whole place. Man...I didn't see no (#$%&^@) Box Turtles!!! Only then, I came to sense: Perhaps I should ask someone...
I made my way towards a clerk sitting at her desk. -Hi! I was looking for the Ornate Box Turtles, do you know where they are located? I asked. She smiled, but looked confused. -Have you seen the ones close to the entry? She was pointing towards the front door. -Yep, but no. Those are sidenecks. Funny how people have no idea about the difference. She got up and started to walk to the end of the room. She said there were some other turtles at the end of the hall. -Why don't I take you there? I was like: -Sweet!!!!. We passed the Tropical fish and then she stoped in front of a giant tank. -Here they are! She said, all exited. (sigh...) A tank. Box Turtles don't swim, unless they were doing some crazy experiment, I was on the wrong place. It turned out they were Reimann's Snake-Necked Turtles:

I wasn't all disappointed. After all they were turtles. But I still wanted to see the Ornates. So I told her a little about the turtles I was looking for. She went back to her desk and picked the phone up. After a few minutes she hang up and said: Tex is no longer with us. His girlfriend and he, were moved to New York to the Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Park. (His name was Tex. Was he from Texas? Tex-Mexican?). Apparently he was donated to the Zoo by a Denver family. Once they moved out of state, they decided to take him too. Weird. I was all bummed out when she continued: -The people from upstairs said there is a land turtle in here. Let me call Johnson... (I'm making his name up). She gets up again. We walk all the way to the west exit. And then, I saw the most beautiful turtle at the Zoo: A Black Breast Leaf Turtle!!! Soooooooo adorable! It took a break from eating crickets to let me take these pictures:

That made my day. No Ornates, but after seeing a Leaf Turtle I didn't care. I got back to where I parked my moped and smiled to myself...I hope Tex is doing well.

Ps: This one is for you Steve (MouhotiiFan)

» Montage-a- Google

Very funny: Montage-a- Google. Select any word and this site will create a photo montage of that word. Of course I selected "Gio Toninelo". It's almost like pieces of my life: Music, turtles, plants, mustaches and of course, my toys...Not to mention SW....

» SW: Episode III - trailer

I just got the following info through e-mail from SW Homing Beacon:

The full length trailer for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith is on its way, with a world premiere during an new episode of "The O.C" on FOX, Thursday, March 10th. During the broadcast, you'll be able to see the full trailer which features over two minutes of new Star Wars footage. For those who want to see the trailer on the big screen, it will be released in theaters on March 11, along with Robots, the new animated feature film from Twentieth Century Fox. The trailer will next appear online for all users of starwars.com on Monday, March 14.

Revenge of the Sith begins in theaters May 19, 2005. This is going to be the end...no more SW. No more StarTrek, either. Enterprise was cancelled last month, I hope the Sci-Fi channel pics it up, though. If not: What am I going to do?

» The Discovery of Horndribbles

Tuesday night, when I got into work, I was greeted by at least a dozen little monsters: Horndribbles all over St. Mark's Coffee House. Super cute! They are the creation of artists Lucas Richards and Sarah Cassidy. They had to be. The only piece of art that I ever bought, was from Lucas. It was a hand-painted cowboy figure and a picture to match. Lucas (also a photographer) took photos of the fuzzy beasts after their creation. Both the sculptures and the prints will be on display at my work 'till next month. It's kind of nice to look at them while I perform my duties as barista... The best part are the captions and stories about the Horndribbles...Just like reading National Geographic...only cuter!

» Wednesday: A picture is worth a thousand words...