Sharing some film opinions I've been sharing on Facebook while I recharge:
My Top 10 Zombie Movies
I usually, fairly pretentiously, make some clarifications about the zombie horror genre along the lines of how the genre, when it works best, acts as a study of human society and its reactions to massive apocalyptic change (while I liken werewolf movies to occasionally stand as an exploration of isolation and feeling of "otherness" and vampires are all about sexual repression), and I continue to stand by this stance. But, as with any genre, there are also gems that really do little, if any, work to further this discussion as they merely revel in the craziness and fun also available to their genre. My list of zombie films is definitely going to cover the broad spectrum.
Before I go further, some notable mentions and clarifications of film left out:
While I love the entire Evil Dead series (and its multiple versions of the final film), I do not consider it a zombie film.
The Serpent and the Rainbow, about actual voodoo zombie-ism is a nice movie, but not the supernatural living dead zombie, so it doesn't make my cut.
Dead Alive is amazing early Peter Jackson, but it's too far out for me to include in the genre.
I love "Deadly Friend" but don't consider it a zombie movie nearly as much as it's an A.I./dangers of technology movie. Funny Kristy Swanson almost made multiple lists.
Although I contradict myself by including two such films, I hate "running zombies" movies. I don't feel zombies should have the coordination necessary to run effectively.
I am so looking forward to the "Walking Dead" comic series being adapted as a cable television series.
The tv miniseries, Dead Set (not released in the US) is AMAZING and you should find a way to see it.
A note about Michael Myers, Freddie Kruger, Jason Voorhies, etc.: I consider Freddie a ghost. The other two, while technically quite zombie, really belong to a very different category of film, as everything about their films falls into the Slasher mold and not at all into the zombie apocalypse mold. Just as the Elm Street movies are also slasher films.
My ten (no order of preference):
1. Night of the Living Dead (Romero). THE classic zombie film. Covers every glimpse into the psyche of man in apocalypse and makes a nice statement on racism. I think there's something wrong with anyone who doesn't include this on their list.
2. Undead. I don't know what these filmmakers were thinking, but this little film from Australia with all its zombies and then alien bductions just does it. It's great on survival, paranoia, campy goodness.
3. Dawn of the Dead (Romero). The only Romero sequel that makes the list (there are parts of "Day," "Land" and "Diary" that I like, but not nearly enough). The characters in this film are not at all as sympathetic as they were in "Night of" or even in the Zack Snyder remake, but I think this film is one of the finer when it comes to illustrating society in collapse and the evils man will do to each other when faced with these problems (picked up on, and better done in my second movie following this). Like "Night of", ends on a pessimistic note, which seems more real to the situation to me.
4. Dawn of the Dead (Snyder). Sigh, fast zombies. But one of the most slick films in the genre. Fantastic soundtrack. Cast of great sympathetic characters and great douche bag characters. Holds to, differently, the good pessimistic ending. Sarah Polley.
5. 28 Days Later. Another that goes deep into the evils man commits on one another in a crisis. My weak spot for Cillian Murphy. Fast zombies, sigh, but more bearable as these aren't "dead" zombies per se and seem to break down with time and starvation (and so would sensibly slow down). The rare film that EXPLAINS the zombie apocalypse's cause and doesn't suck for doing so. While I like the sequel, not a huge fan. Danny Boyle has only let me down once as a director (read: Sunshine).
6. Shaun of the Dead. Amazing. Hilarious. I still have and cherish my cut of the film from before its release (has alternate recorded dialog and a couple scene differences) almost as much as I love the finished theatrical version. DVD-wise, one of the finest when it comes to extras. One of the few consistently funniest films for me. And now I also have a hankering to watch "Spaced."
7. Fido. While I'm covering comedy, not as funny for me, but still a gem. And a great exploration into how a society that survives can deal with the zombie problem--by domesticating them as physical laborers.
8. Re-Animator. One of the few Lovecraft translations to film I enjoy. A bit crazy with the camp, though. Nice exploration of whether it's right to use all of our knowledge. Another of the "classics."
9. Pet Sematary. That rare gem of a movie that's actually at least almost as good as the novel it's based off.
10. [rec] and Quarantine. Since they're, almost shot for shot, the same movie (the former being the original Spanish film and the latter its American remake from a year later). Nice for its "trapped in a building with the monsters and we have to escape" survival horror. Who do you trust? How do you work with everyone else to survive?
My Top Ten Vampire Films
While zombies are clearly my favorite genre of "monster horror movies," and I have a much greater excitement level for good Werewolf movies, as they're so so very rare, vamps used to be my big favorites and this particular "top ten" meme is floating around my friends this week, so I too will participate. My top ten vampire movies in no order of preference:
1. Let the Right One In: This is far and away the best film in the genre to be produced this decade. I can watch, and find new scenes of enjoyment in, this film again and again and again and again. . .really, REALLY not looking forward to the americanized remake of it that is currently in the pipeline.
2. The Russian "Watch" movies: Night Watch, Day Watch (and hopefully someday in the near future, the third--Twilight Watch) all based on a fantastic trilogy of novels, cinematic-ally beautiful and absent the "vampires are all sexy" tropes of most vamp cinema. Another big thing going for these films, for me, is the depth of exploration devoted to factioning of vampire types, the politics and policing of vampire activities.
3. Blade Trinity. Screw the first two, this movie's just here for all the delicious eye candy (Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Biel, Dominic Purcell) that I was allowed to enjoy for most of my 113 minutes.
4. The Forsaken. More eye candy, nice juxtaposition of horror and humor. Jonathan Schaech never gets enough credit for being a good actor who generally only makes movies that don't make the A-List. Mostly a fun, generally mindless but pretty film. Heavy on the then-WB young hot actor factor. Strangely seems to be making all of our lists.
5. Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter. It's everything: a musical, a kung fu flick, sexploitation, comedy, Troma-esque gore. You can not beat Christ coming back to rescue lesbians from the vampires who hunt them because lesbian skin is sun resistant. And he teams up with a Mexican wrestler. Did I mention musical numbers? See it for Jesus' kung fu showdown vs the atheists. Best of all, if you end up not liking it, you get to blame Canada.
6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Clearly, while I have much love for the tv show and it's spin-off and prefer to pretend the film is not canonical to the show (despite how the first Buffy comic series MADE it canonical, and did it well), and while the production, and egos of certain actors (Sutherland) and shortcomings of others (Swanson) yanked this film far away from the vision Joss envisioned for it in his screenplay, it gave us Buffy. It is the Mater Familia, and on its own it is campy hilariousness in ways that Fright Night fails to remain twenty years later.
7. Interview With the Vampire. A lot more going on that worked than not. Really enjoyed Kirsten Dunst, which is a rarity.
8. From Dusk Till Dawn. Honestly, I hated this movie the first time I saw it, and it was years before I gave it another chance. It is jarring still in its transition at the film's midpoint. But this movie has grown on me so much I don't even vomit in my mouth anymore every time Juliet Lewis mentions her pussy.
9. Near Dark. The best Clive Barker adaptation to date. Edit: I am retarded; this is not a Clive Barker adaptation. Still amazing and different.
10. Monster Squad. Pretty much exactly the same reasons Adam cites.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
What Happened
Saturday night was the last Saturday Rock Band Party--it went off generally well. I think everyone had a much better time than not. Sunday I spent the day with a throbbing headache that I just attributed to the staying-up too-late of the Saturday night party, mixed with various unpleasant side effect cause by the myriad of new meds my doctor is trying out on me, and when I went to bed at 8PM for my 4AM shift, I went to bed still with a headache.
At some point in the night, Denise wakes me because I have a slight wheeze. I add that I also still have a headache and she demands I take a Benadryl and Tylenol. I'm now paranoid about my breathing and keep waking up every half our or so to make sure I'm still alive. By the time 4AM rolled around, I was ready for the work day but much groggier than usual.
During the first half hour of my managerial opening prep work I throw up, and there are a few tablespoons of blood in it. Now as a quick side, our store is already extremely spread thin manager-wise, having fully only 40% the management personnel it's supposed to--which, with my own work ethic, makes it impossible for me to call in (or leave) sick because of the huge strain it would cause the others. I work feeling under the weather so often, and would have toughed it out again too, except I threw up blood again. This happened a total of 4 times in my first hour of work; I called and woke my supervisor and told her what was happening. She was there in twenty minutes.
I rush home to write down all my medications and their dosages. It's still so early that I just leave Denise a written note as to where I was. One thing for sure is one of my meds really works to dehydrate me and if I don't keep on top of my hydration well enough, I get bloody noses. I'm thinking I likely had a bloody nose in my sleep and swallowed it all, but I need answers and I'm scared witless.
Triage at the emergency room actually ends up pushing me ahead of everyone in waiting prior to me. I am tortured by needles trying to draw blood from underhydrated veins but finally some bloodwork is pulled and I'm on an I.V. I also throw up blood again. One of the early things I learn is that the e.r. doctor who saw me and diagnosed my gout prescribed the wrong medication for it: there was a prophylactic medication I should have been taking to stop flare-ups instead of the highly damaging to my liver stuff I was on.
My very visible misery caused this e.r. doctor to ask about other symptoms I just hadn't thought to mention as they seemed minor to the, you know, blood puke. Was light hurting my eyes? Yes. Noises bothering me? Yes. Stiff neck? Yes. Sore throat? Yes. Headache still? Yes. "I think you might have meningitis and I can only test for that by doing a lumbar puncture, otherwise known as a spinal tap." Holy smokes, meningitis? I'm going to die. "And while I wait on the order for the L.P. to come back let's have a look at the rest of you" I was checked for a G.I. bleed (I won't say how, for the queasy) and my swollen tonsils had her worried about something else : mono.
The spinal tap, as shown on tv, is an extremely painful procedure. My e.r. doc was either very kind to me with the pain medication (she was) or I just handled the pain well (not as likely) but the L.P. was not the nightmare medical dramas make it out to be.
When all the results came in, I found that another of my medications needed to be stopped, due to the liver danger it posed with my other diagnoses: lucky me, I sure did have the mono. AND the meningitis. Both viral so there wasn't even much they could do other than help push my liquids so they kept me overnight (11AM Monday to 4PM Tuesday overnight) for observation.
Home now, I can't kiss the kids or Denise, share food or drink, etc. The pain in my throat from the mono is so great that it's excruciating to even swallow liquids, or talk above a whisper. Something has my sinuses so congested I can't breathe and so never slept for more than 20 minutes at a stretch the last two nights--wearing me out even more immensely. I have to miss two weeks, at least, of work which is going to be financially nightmarish as I don't get sick pay managing Burger Land. At least I'm home now, where things are slightly more comfortable.
Heartfelt thanks to all the people who helped Denise with the kids, and to everyone who took the time from their days to either call me or come visit me in the hospital. Love you guys.
At some point in the night, Denise wakes me because I have a slight wheeze. I add that I also still have a headache and she demands I take a Benadryl and Tylenol. I'm now paranoid about my breathing and keep waking up every half our or so to make sure I'm still alive. By the time 4AM rolled around, I was ready for the work day but much groggier than usual.
During the first half hour of my managerial opening prep work I throw up, and there are a few tablespoons of blood in it. Now as a quick side, our store is already extremely spread thin manager-wise, having fully only 40% the management personnel it's supposed to--which, with my own work ethic, makes it impossible for me to call in (or leave) sick because of the huge strain it would cause the others. I work feeling under the weather so often, and would have toughed it out again too, except I threw up blood again. This happened a total of 4 times in my first hour of work; I called and woke my supervisor and told her what was happening. She was there in twenty minutes.
I rush home to write down all my medications and their dosages. It's still so early that I just leave Denise a written note as to where I was. One thing for sure is one of my meds really works to dehydrate me and if I don't keep on top of my hydration well enough, I get bloody noses. I'm thinking I likely had a bloody nose in my sleep and swallowed it all, but I need answers and I'm scared witless.
Triage at the emergency room actually ends up pushing me ahead of everyone in waiting prior to me. I am tortured by needles trying to draw blood from underhydrated veins but finally some bloodwork is pulled and I'm on an I.V. I also throw up blood again. One of the early things I learn is that the e.r. doctor who saw me and diagnosed my gout prescribed the wrong medication for it: there was a prophylactic medication I should have been taking to stop flare-ups instead of the highly damaging to my liver stuff I was on.
My very visible misery caused this e.r. doctor to ask about other symptoms I just hadn't thought to mention as they seemed minor to the, you know, blood puke. Was light hurting my eyes? Yes. Noises bothering me? Yes. Stiff neck? Yes. Sore throat? Yes. Headache still? Yes. "I think you might have meningitis and I can only test for that by doing a lumbar puncture, otherwise known as a spinal tap." Holy smokes, meningitis? I'm going to die. "And while I wait on the order for the L.P. to come back let's have a look at the rest of you" I was checked for a G.I. bleed (I won't say how, for the queasy) and my swollen tonsils had her worried about something else : mono.
The spinal tap, as shown on tv, is an extremely painful procedure. My e.r. doc was either very kind to me with the pain medication (she was) or I just handled the pain well (not as likely) but the L.P. was not the nightmare medical dramas make it out to be.
When all the results came in, I found that another of my medications needed to be stopped, due to the liver danger it posed with my other diagnoses: lucky me, I sure did have the mono. AND the meningitis. Both viral so there wasn't even much they could do other than help push my liquids so they kept me overnight (11AM Monday to 4PM Tuesday overnight) for observation.
Home now, I can't kiss the kids or Denise, share food or drink, etc. The pain in my throat from the mono is so great that it's excruciating to even swallow liquids, or talk above a whisper. Something has my sinuses so congested I can't breathe and so never slept for more than 20 minutes at a stretch the last two nights--wearing me out even more immensely. I have to miss two weeks, at least, of work which is going to be financially nightmarish as I don't get sick pay managing Burger Land. At least I'm home now, where things are slightly more comfortable.
Heartfelt thanks to all the people who helped Denise with the kids, and to everyone who took the time from their days to either call me or come visit me in the hospital. Love you guys.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Color Me Bad
I am going to alienate you now. I think I've been a long time somewhat reserved now and "safe" in my postings. I'm super tired and this discussion has been damaging my head for a few days now, really heavily today and now I'm just going to spill it all out and see where the words land.
I think it's high time I came out: I'm a racist.
Now, not in the sense that I think "X" people should be treated differently than "Y" people (and by differently I mean in-equally, inferiorly, or as some fucking threat or object of entertainment). But in the sense that "yeah, we're different, so fucking what?" Not in the foul "hate you for being different than me" way. THOSE people, it isn't just that they're racists, but they're also douche bags and they make being a douche bag a fucking extreme sport at which they excel.
Still, the term it's still so frakking cringe-worthy. And damn it, I think the extreme sportsmen of douche baggery really deserve some sort of label for their douche baggery. And of course it's going to remain "racism" because the term is already long applied and accurate in itself.
But. . .(and here is where, if I don't have you alienated a bit by now, I really piss you off) we're all racists and we all know it. I'd go far enough to say that if there's an "-ist" out there, it also applies to all of us. Are you deferential to your elders, maybe you help the elderly with physical tasks you deem beyond their ease? You ageist mother lover. Guys--sight of a crying girl get your protective "fix things" urge rising? Sexist pig. I work with a dude who is very into his green, has multiple baby mamas and frequently jokes with me about how he thinks I know all the other white people because I'm white.
I think we need to stop making this notion of colorblindedness to bed. Celebrate everyone for who they are, including all of their differences. My best friend is not white and I couldn't even fathom imagining a version of him that comes from a world where our differences don't inform who we are. I think it's patently offensive. Our differences, color inclusive, help to have informed our entire development through life. How much more insulting is it to pretend otherwise?
I'm white and male. I'm not any better than anyone else because of this. Two of my favorite former professors are a black woman and a white woman and I think they're both awesome, and each of their levels of awesome are independent of their pigment or their gender.
People, start being better to each other. Start realizing that the pursuit of being politically correct just makes you a bigger ass, however inadvertently, than you were before you acknowledged your peers for who they are. Get over it already.
And take it all ways, people. If you pull up beside me and I'm sining along to Dre, if he drops the frickin' N-bomb, I'm going to drop the fricking N-bomb too because that's the fucking music and I'm in my zone, loving my music. I won't hold it against you that you're singing "Pretty Fly For a White Guy" in your car next to me.
I think it's high time I came out: I'm a racist.
Now, not in the sense that I think "X" people should be treated differently than "Y" people (and by differently I mean in-equally, inferiorly, or as some fucking threat or object of entertainment). But in the sense that "yeah, we're different, so fucking what?" Not in the foul "hate you for being different than me" way. THOSE people, it isn't just that they're racists, but they're also douche bags and they make being a douche bag a fucking extreme sport at which they excel.
Still, the term it's still so frakking cringe-worthy. And damn it, I think the extreme sportsmen of douche baggery really deserve some sort of label for their douche baggery. And of course it's going to remain "racism" because the term is already long applied and accurate in itself.
But. . .(and here is where, if I don't have you alienated a bit by now, I really piss you off) we're all racists and we all know it. I'd go far enough to say that if there's an "-ist" out there, it also applies to all of us. Are you deferential to your elders, maybe you help the elderly with physical tasks you deem beyond their ease? You ageist mother lover. Guys--sight of a crying girl get your protective "fix things" urge rising? Sexist pig. I work with a dude who is very into his green, has multiple baby mamas and frequently jokes with me about how he thinks I know all the other white people because I'm white.
I think we need to stop making this notion of colorblindedness to bed. Celebrate everyone for who they are, including all of their differences. My best friend is not white and I couldn't even fathom imagining a version of him that comes from a world where our differences don't inform who we are. I think it's patently offensive. Our differences, color inclusive, help to have informed our entire development through life. How much more insulting is it to pretend otherwise?
I'm white and male. I'm not any better than anyone else because of this. Two of my favorite former professors are a black woman and a white woman and I think they're both awesome, and each of their levels of awesome are independent of their pigment or their gender.
People, start being better to each other. Start realizing that the pursuit of being politically correct just makes you a bigger ass, however inadvertently, than you were before you acknowledged your peers for who they are. Get over it already.
And take it all ways, people. If you pull up beside me and I'm sining along to Dre, if he drops the frickin' N-bomb, I'm going to drop the fricking N-bomb too because that's the fucking music and I'm in my zone, loving my music. I won't hold it against you that you're singing "Pretty Fly For a White Guy" in your car next to me.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Freckles
Jack has one under his right eye I'd never noticed before, ditto the one on Claire's left shoulder. Maybe it's the extra 600-odd pixels per inch, or just the larger physical size of the tv (I'm going with the pixels), but these are minor details I'd never noticed before. I never saw Kate's freckles, and it annoyed me to no end that her nickname from Sawyer was "Freckles" given I could never see them. My goodness, as much as I hate the character, she actually does have freckles, and they are purty. Charlie's tattoo says "Living is easy with eyes closed" which fits his character's story enough that I wonder if it's a fake tattoo like Jack's or if it's a real one of Dominic Monaghan's.
So if you haven't figured it out, I've been slowly re-watching Lost in Blu-Ray. I'm averaging about two episodes a week, which is actually a decent enough pace--at this rate I expect to just finish season 5 (not out yet) as season 6 begins to air. I'm enjoying the massive amount of foreshadowing. There are things in the pilot that foreshadow events & themes of the tail end of season 5. There are a couple other things though. . .inconsistencies? Some time between season one and season five, Jack starts shaving his chest. Maybe his focus in the love triangle (square?) is misplaced? And in episode five, the one that starts with the red shirt drowning who Jack fails to save--we learn, from Charlie, that Charlie can't swim. Charlie can't swim. So unless there's a "Charlie learns to swim" episode I've forgotten, there's a pretty big inconsistency between episode five Charlie and Charliein the last two episodes of season three.
So if you haven't figured it out, I've been slowly re-watching Lost in Blu-Ray. I'm averaging about two episodes a week, which is actually a decent enough pace--at this rate I expect to just finish season 5 (not out yet) as season 6 begins to air. I'm enjoying the massive amount of foreshadowing. There are things in the pilot that foreshadow events & themes of the tail end of season 5. There are a couple other things though. . .inconsistencies? Some time between season one and season five, Jack starts shaving his chest. Maybe his focus in the love triangle (square?) is misplaced? And in episode five, the one that starts with the red shirt drowning who Jack fails to save--we learn, from Charlie, that Charlie can't swim. Charlie can't swim. So unless there's a "Charlie learns to swim" episode I've forgotten, there's a pretty big inconsistency between episode five Charlie and Charliein the last two episodes of season three.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Too Long For Twitter
Three or so weeks this time. . .things have been good. And not so good, but the not so good is really not so bad.
For years now I've been getting this recurring pain in my feet, usually when the weather changes significantly. I've always attributed this to joint pain/arthritis from complications coming out of the many ankle injuries I've had from when I played volleyball. It turns out that I've been partly right all along--it has been an arthritis of sorts. The past two weeks I was suffering some incredible foot pain, often so bad that it made me physically ill as I tried to tough it out as I usually do. Eventually it grew so great that I decided to go to the emergency room right after work (at 2a.m.); my McMinion and buddy Lex did me a massive solid by coming with me (a solid that proved necessary once the pain meds they gave me in the e.r. made it quite impossible for me to drive). It turns out I suffer from gout. Look it up on Wikipedia. Foot still hurts, but being tended to properly and feels much better.
On the moving front. . .Denise and I eventually grew so frustrated and tired of the search that we decided to put the move off at least another year, waiting to see how other things pan out before making the ultimate decision as to when and where to move for the long term. The positive in this is that we then took the money we had saved for the move and did some much needed home refurbishing. It actually almost feels like we have a new home anyway.
This week has a trip to San Francisco that, while necessary, I'm really not looking all that forward to (and a pre-emptive massive thanks to our friends for both helping with childcare and the loan/swap of transportation. Neither of our cars have air conditioning and that alone would make the journey misery); with a repeat trip later in August.
Oh, and a quick shout out congratulations to one of my favorite people, Adrienne, for the birth of her second child!
That's enough brain dump for now.
For years now I've been getting this recurring pain in my feet, usually when the weather changes significantly. I've always attributed this to joint pain/arthritis from complications coming out of the many ankle injuries I've had from when I played volleyball. It turns out that I've been partly right all along--it has been an arthritis of sorts. The past two weeks I was suffering some incredible foot pain, often so bad that it made me physically ill as I tried to tough it out as I usually do. Eventually it grew so great that I decided to go to the emergency room right after work (at 2a.m.); my McMinion and buddy Lex did me a massive solid by coming with me (a solid that proved necessary once the pain meds they gave me in the e.r. made it quite impossible for me to drive). It turns out I suffer from gout. Look it up on Wikipedia. Foot still hurts, but being tended to properly and feels much better.
On the moving front. . .Denise and I eventually grew so frustrated and tired of the search that we decided to put the move off at least another year, waiting to see how other things pan out before making the ultimate decision as to when and where to move for the long term. The positive in this is that we then took the money we had saved for the move and did some much needed home refurbishing. It actually almost feels like we have a new home anyway.
This week has a trip to San Francisco that, while necessary, I'm really not looking all that forward to (and a pre-emptive massive thanks to our friends for both helping with childcare and the loan/swap of transportation. Neither of our cars have air conditioning and that alone would make the journey misery); with a repeat trip later in August.
Oh, and a quick shout out congratulations to one of my favorite people, Adrienne, for the birth of her second child!
That's enough brain dump for now.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Thirty Five
Hello Blogland, did you miss me? Every day I log in and see the blog (Shade and Sweet Water is my homepage), note the June 2nd last entry date and remind myself I need to blog. I'll do it tomorrow, I say. Three weeks of tomorrows later it's probably a good time to actually get on my hiney and do some typing.
Let me launch things off with a quick happy birthday shout out to my old San Luis Obispo partner in crime, Tassy. Happy birthday, Tassy! Miss you.
Speaking of birthdays, as most of you are aware, mine was this past Thursday. I took my fifth and final vacation day on Thursday so that I could enjoy my birthday and get paid while I was at it (and also took Friday off for any possible recovery needs, losing my usual Saturday off. No Rock Banding for me tonight. This makes me pout a lot). As birthdays go, the day went 99% groovy and truthfully, if not for some minor annoyances at the very end of the celebratin' it would have been perfect; still it was the finest I'd had in years.
The morning started out with Alex watching the kids for us while Denise and I met with Lash's counselor to discuss his progress and how she'd like us to approach some interactions and behavior modelling with him. This was followed with a quick walk-in trip to Gearhead Barbershop and Tattoo where Denise got her very first tattoo and I set myself up with an appointment to come back later and get more ink done.
Enjoyed some great carne asada burritos from Aca Taco with Denise and Alex and then he and I returned to Gearhead while Denise went on cake and last-minute gift retrieval. In tattoo land I added another "grace" to my arm--this time the Japanese kanji. And going against all reports of what my next intended tattoo would be (an astrological chart on back), I got a chocolate ice cream cone on my left shoulder. Pictures, once I upload them, will be on my Facebook page.
Farewell to Alex, and back home Denise and I enjoyed a bit of quiet couples time, which can be a little tricky when both parties have fresh tattoos to be mindful of.
Present time with the kids: Blu-Rays of The X-Men Trilogy, Lost Season 1, and True Romance. And Region 1 DVDs of Spaced. We're hoping the move won't tax our wallet too much and I'll finally be getting an HDTV with the remainder for my late birthday present so I can fully enjoy these cinematic goodies.
Denise got Chris to make us steak for my dinner and it was perfect. Then some ice cream cake, a little play with the kids and the eventual shuffling off of them to bed. After that we began taking in some of our favorite guests for later night margaritas and Rock Banding (and more prezzies: a microphone multi-tap for Rock Band allowing up to four singers on one slot at once. Harmonizing could prove crazy difficult. Katie and Lisa came along with themselves wrapped as presents with a fun homemade card).
Recovery day was spent with a bit more kid time and me finally tackling the Endless Setlist on Rock Band 2.
Now I've got to start getting myself ready to work again.
Let me launch things off with a quick happy birthday shout out to my old San Luis Obispo partner in crime, Tassy. Happy birthday, Tassy! Miss you.
Speaking of birthdays, as most of you are aware, mine was this past Thursday. I took my fifth and final vacation day on Thursday so that I could enjoy my birthday and get paid while I was at it (and also took Friday off for any possible recovery needs, losing my usual Saturday off. No Rock Banding for me tonight. This makes me pout a lot). As birthdays go, the day went 99% groovy and truthfully, if not for some minor annoyances at the very end of the celebratin' it would have been perfect; still it was the finest I'd had in years.
The morning started out with Alex watching the kids for us while Denise and I met with Lash's counselor to discuss his progress and how she'd like us to approach some interactions and behavior modelling with him. This was followed with a quick walk-in trip to Gearhead Barbershop and Tattoo where Denise got her very first tattoo and I set myself up with an appointment to come back later and get more ink done.
Enjoyed some great carne asada burritos from Aca Taco with Denise and Alex and then he and I returned to Gearhead while Denise went on cake and last-minute gift retrieval. In tattoo land I added another "grace" to my arm--this time the Japanese kanji. And going against all reports of what my next intended tattoo would be (an astrological chart on back), I got a chocolate ice cream cone on my left shoulder. Pictures, once I upload them, will be on my Facebook page.
Farewell to Alex, and back home Denise and I enjoyed a bit of quiet couples time, which can be a little tricky when both parties have fresh tattoos to be mindful of.
Present time with the kids: Blu-Rays of The X-Men Trilogy, Lost Season 1, and True Romance. And Region 1 DVDs of Spaced. We're hoping the move won't tax our wallet too much and I'll finally be getting an HDTV with the remainder for my late birthday present so I can fully enjoy these cinematic goodies.
Denise got Chris to make us steak for my dinner and it was perfect. Then some ice cream cake, a little play with the kids and the eventual shuffling off of them to bed. After that we began taking in some of our favorite guests for later night margaritas and Rock Banding (and more prezzies: a microphone multi-tap for Rock Band allowing up to four singers on one slot at once. Harmonizing could prove crazy difficult. Katie and Lisa came along with themselves wrapped as presents with a fun homemade card).
Recovery day was spent with a bit more kid time and me finally tackling the Endless Setlist on Rock Band 2.
Now I've got to start getting myself ready to work again.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Addendum
On the way to work today I realized/began to fear some friends of the local variety might read more into my previous post than is there, and I just want to state that, as I wrote, everything there is an interpersonal exploration of a trait I see in myself, not an explanation that anyone in my life should be expecting me to be pushing them out of it. . .
P, L & H.
Ev
P, L & H.
Ev
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Commitment
I've been doing a great deal of internal exploration of myself and my relationships, the nature of friendship as it applies to me. I don't know if I ever really let anyone who reads this blog have even close to an idea of just how introspective I typically am, or how very calculated I am in almost everything I do. I'm the sort of person who will spend two hours writing a two paragraph e-mail just to make sure that there are no nuances or hidden meanings within that could at all come across without my intending them.
I am digressing, which is a response on my part to procrastinate because I've reached a point where I feel the necessity to start expressing my introspection to come to a even better understanding of myself, and doing so feels a little too raw for me.
Friendship.
For some years now I've expressed dismay over the shorter-lived nature of my localized interpersonal relationships. This would typically come across as a lamentation that I find myself frequently making friends, spending a couple years developing a close-ish friendship and then "losing" the friend when they inevitably graduate from the University and move elsewhere to start their real lives. Some of these people, we stay in varying degrees of touch (my Facebook is riddled with long distance, now mostly cursory, friendships which are much easier to maintain, and I've a handful of long distance friends I know would be instantly close bonded friends if I were local to them) but for the most part, it feels like a longer version of the "single serving friend" from Fight Club. Not single serving, but a soap dispenser that eventually runs out.
I'm beginning to be more honest with myself in that this isn't something that occurs due to the nature of friends being made with college students, but instead I choose to befriend college students because I have to wonder, and have difficulty trusting, whether longer-term friendships and me really work out at all. My closest friends in elementary school were not my closest friend in junior high school who was not any of my closest friends in highschool; and they, in turn, were not my closest friends post-high school. The closest anyone could come, I think, to refuting this is to note my friendships with Chris, Chrissy and Jira, all begun in 1991 and still present, but, by my own rules, I think they aren't refutable. After a small number of years varying between 2-4, they all trickled out of my life, moved away for quite a few years with almost zero contact and upon return, as is natural for all of us, were new and different people in the same, slightly older packaging. I think at my deepest, I considered these newly begun friendships again. This paragraph is riddled with grammatical error.
The longer any relationship lasts, the more complexand complicated they come, the more the energy required to nurture them changes. . .part of me wants to scream that the longer a friendship lasts, the easier it should become, and if that's an honest reality for everyone else, then I, in this particular instance, am discovering myself to be a bit broken. Am I the only one this rings true for? Do I find myself withdrawing quietly from some older associations as I nurture newer ones as some sort of "avoid working on maintaining friendships" defense mechanism, or as a "every one before has proven short, so best keep the attachment level to a minmum" response?
Why do I eventually push or walk away? And if I should, how do I even work towards changing this part of my personal reality?
Come tomorrow I'll probably decide I'm sharing too much vulnerability in my inner workings and delete this.
I am digressing, which is a response on my part to procrastinate because I've reached a point where I feel the necessity to start expressing my introspection to come to a even better understanding of myself, and doing so feels a little too raw for me.
Friendship.
For some years now I've expressed dismay over the shorter-lived nature of my localized interpersonal relationships. This would typically come across as a lamentation that I find myself frequently making friends, spending a couple years developing a close-ish friendship and then "losing" the friend when they inevitably graduate from the University and move elsewhere to start their real lives. Some of these people, we stay in varying degrees of touch (my Facebook is riddled with long distance, now mostly cursory, friendships which are much easier to maintain, and I've a handful of long distance friends I know would be instantly close bonded friends if I were local to them) but for the most part, it feels like a longer version of the "single serving friend" from Fight Club. Not single serving, but a soap dispenser that eventually runs out.
I'm beginning to be more honest with myself in that this isn't something that occurs due to the nature of friends being made with college students, but instead I choose to befriend college students because I have to wonder, and have difficulty trusting, whether longer-term friendships and me really work out at all. My closest friends in elementary school were not my closest friend in junior high school who was not any of my closest friends in highschool; and they, in turn, were not my closest friends post-high school. The closest anyone could come, I think, to refuting this is to note my friendships with Chris, Chrissy and Jira, all begun in 1991 and still present, but, by my own rules, I think they aren't refutable. After a small number of years varying between 2-4, they all trickled out of my life, moved away for quite a few years with almost zero contact and upon return, as is natural for all of us, were new and different people in the same, slightly older packaging. I think at my deepest, I considered these newly begun friendships again. This paragraph is riddled with grammatical error.
The longer any relationship lasts, the more complexand complicated they come, the more the energy required to nurture them changes. . .part of me wants to scream that the longer a friendship lasts, the easier it should become, and if that's an honest reality for everyone else, then I, in this particular instance, am discovering myself to be a bit broken. Am I the only one this rings true for? Do I find myself withdrawing quietly from some older associations as I nurture newer ones as some sort of "avoid working on maintaining friendships" defense mechanism, or as a "every one before has proven short, so best keep the attachment level to a minmum" response?
Why do I eventually push or walk away? And if I should, how do I even work towards changing this part of my personal reality?
Come tomorrow I'll probably decide I'm sharing too much vulnerability in my inner workings and delete this.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Happy Birthdays
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Rael,
Happy Birthday to you.
Four years old today, wow. I just try to think about where life was before Rael was born and how much has happened since, and I'm amazed so much has already fit into one little life time.
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Rael,
Happy Birthday to you.
Four years old today, wow. I just try to think about where life was before Rael was born and how much has happened since, and I'm amazed so much has already fit into one little life time.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Retail
All right, so direct to the chase: we're planning to move in July at some point. Staying in Chico, we just don't like the location we're at now and would rather find something with more of a yard and fewer screaming college kids for neighbors. With that being that, we've begun the long task of packing (takes forever with a family of six) and I've come to realize, yet again, that I really have too much accumulated stuff. Things I wholly dug at the time but would rather be able to get rid of for a little cash and not have to move, which means it's eBay time again for me, where I'll be regularly posting things over the coming weeks. Please give my listings an occasional look through and feel free to bid on anything that strikes your fancy; I'll give a 50% discount on shipping to anyone who buys anything and mentions they went there because of this blog. My stuff is found here.
So far I've put up most of my old DC Direct statues and will be tackling the HeroClix over my next few days off. Anyone ineterested in old Magic The Gathering cards? I don't want to take the time to try listing all of them on eBay, if there's an interest in buying by set, in bulk, let me know.
Thanks everyone!
So far I've put up most of my old DC Direct statues and will be tackling the HeroClix over my next few days off. Anyone ineterested in old Magic The Gathering cards? I don't want to take the time to try listing all of them on eBay, if there's an interest in buying by set, in bulk, let me know.
Thanks everyone!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Feliz Cumpleanos
Happy birthday to you,
Happ birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Drew,
Happy birthday to you!
Happ birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Drew,
Happy birthday to you!
Friday, May 15, 2009
I Called It.
Dollhouse is getting renewed for a second season. There is a Santa Claus. I am very happy about this. But enough giddy-ness, this post is called "I Called It" and that requires a good amount of pat-myself-on-the-back bragging so here goes:
Amy Acker's character, Dr. Saunders was a Doll: I called it (sure, I also wanted her to be Alpha, but ALL of my reasoning for her being a Doll proved out).
On Fringe, Pacey was really Mirror Universe Pacey: I called it.
Lost--John Locke's been dead all season and is still in-the-box: I called it.
More Lost--Juliet dies: Called it (knew she was headlining the V remake next year, which meant she would likely be toast).
Faraday's a Widmore: Called it.
Jack and Kate are royal douches: I didn't call that; those facts have always pretty much just been universal truths.
Setting off the bomb just sends them back to the future: you'll see in a year, I called that too.
I don't think it's just me, and sure I do have a history for calling it (Professor X is the traitor who kills Professor X in Bishop's future--I called that, ask Micah; Ed Norton is Tyler Durden during the first thirty seconds of Fight Club), I just think that a lot of this season's big twists were a bit too over-telegraphed to truly end up being surprises.
Amy Acker's character, Dr. Saunders was a Doll: I called it (sure, I also wanted her to be Alpha, but ALL of my reasoning for her being a Doll proved out).
On Fringe, Pacey was really Mirror Universe Pacey: I called it.
Lost--John Locke's been dead all season and is still in-the-box: I called it.
More Lost--Juliet dies: Called it (knew she was headlining the V remake next year, which meant she would likely be toast).
Faraday's a Widmore: Called it.
Jack and Kate are royal douches: I didn't call that; those facts have always pretty much just been universal truths.
Setting off the bomb just sends them back to the future: you'll see in a year, I called that too.
I don't think it's just me, and sure I do have a history for calling it (Professor X is the traitor who kills Professor X in Bishop's future--I called that, ask Micah; Ed Norton is Tyler Durden during the first thirty seconds of Fight Club), I just think that a lot of this season's big twists were a bit too over-telegraphed to truly end up being surprises.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Petting Zoo
Four of my last five posts were about television. I promise I actually have a life--it just isn't always all that exciting. Snippets of now and the future:
We've begun the slow process of packing. Anyone who has a lengthy relationship and has kids I'm sure can sympathize with just how monumentally more difficult it is to change living situation. For us, our current lease ends this summer and we've decided that, for the money we pay we would prefer a home that isn't surrounded by screaming college kids most nights of the week. Hopefully something with more yard for the kids. At any rate, packing takes forever, and we've only just begun. Hopefully we'll find something that meets our needs and our desires as much as possible.
This week Rael's preschool decided to surprise all the kids with the gift of a goldfish. A word of advice--if you plan to enter the teaching field, or to work with kids, do not give a child a pet, no matter how low-maintenance (ha! Shel can attest to how not low-maintenance fish actually are), without first making sure it's ok with the child's parent. Rael was ecstatic at his new fish and had it named and loved before he even left the classroom (he named it Goldy). I, on the other hand, not so happy that my kid now has a life to care for, and an extremely fragile life at that. I think it requires a certain level of audacity I just can't quite fathom, like cutting someone else's kid's hair without making sure the kid's parent is cool with it. Sadly, Goldy survived a bare 24 hours and Rael had to experience his first, and for a long time last, Funeral For A Fish.
We've begun the slow process of packing. Anyone who has a lengthy relationship and has kids I'm sure can sympathize with just how monumentally more difficult it is to change living situation. For us, our current lease ends this summer and we've decided that, for the money we pay we would prefer a home that isn't surrounded by screaming college kids most nights of the week. Hopefully something with more yard for the kids. At any rate, packing takes forever, and we've only just begun. Hopefully we'll find something that meets our needs and our desires as much as possible.
This week Rael's preschool decided to surprise all the kids with the gift of a goldfish. A word of advice--if you plan to enter the teaching field, or to work with kids, do not give a child a pet, no matter how low-maintenance (ha! Shel can attest to how not low-maintenance fish actually are), without first making sure it's ok with the child's parent. Rael was ecstatic at his new fish and had it named and loved before he even left the classroom (he named it Goldy). I, on the other hand, not so happy that my kid now has a life to care for, and an extremely fragile life at that. I think it requires a certain level of audacity I just can't quite fathom, like cutting someone else's kid's hair without making sure the kid's parent is cool with it. Sadly, Goldy survived a bare 24 hours and Rael had to experience his first, and for a long time last, Funeral For A Fish.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Down With the Sickness
I already fucking hate swine flu. Really, I have nothing but sympathy for anyone truly impacted by it and take its danger seriously, but I'm already worn down by the rampant paranoia I run into over it: people demanding to know why cashiers at work aren't wearing rubber gloves, the massive increase in personal space around anyone who has the audacity to let loose with a sneeze, the hypochondria attached to any sudden feeling of less-than-perfect well-being. Drink some orange juice or something.
Heroes finally ended its season (and if you don't like spoilers, turn away fast and go no further). For the briefest of moments I was intensely happy: when I thought our heroes were going to form the Justice League (or something equally geeky and Hiro-appropriate for a team name) at the end. This glee was killed by their decision to stick with the inherently dull "Company." OMG WTF, right? Does the Company have shareholders? What does it sell? Yawnage. Ali Larter coming back as Hydro-man; I called that one when she "died" this last time. Unlike Ian, I was actually hoping they would reveal she's got like 100 twins and would kill her off and intro a new one with new powers every season--and they would all sleep with Adrian Pasdar's character. I loved the moral hit Parkman had to take this episode (I should say "had" since it wasn't necessary and I actually think he should have refused, like Hurley in Lost season 4 re: lying). Herein is why the Sylar fix is s-t-u-p-i-d stupid. Sylar/Nathan, among all his other powers, has the power to "read the past" of anything he touches (a la Longshot). How long before he touches Angela, Noah or Matt and remembers who he is? What about when Claire's stolen regenerative powers simply heal his brain damage until he remembers who he is? The episode previous introduced a far superior plot device for turning Sylar good--something I'll call (and true X-Fans should get this) Rogue Syndrome. The more psyches he incorporates via shapeshifting, the more fractured and "externally" influenced his psyche becomes--so get him to shift into more and more morally good people until the good guys outnumber the not-good guys in his head, forcing him to change his own moral compass; this idea made his sparing of Micah actually believable and palatable to me (and really, how disappointing is it that we finally get Nathan killed off, violently and graphicly, only to have to deal with the bad stilted acting again in future seasons?). Meh.
Contrary to everyone else, I love that Kal Penn's Dr. Kutner killed himself. I dug him the most of all the new House minions, but still was very down with that storyline (not so much the "imprint Amber/Cutthroat Bitch onto the devil-on-my-shoulder story of last episode). When I learned some months ago someone was going to die, I expected it to be Thirteen and really, really hoped Omar Epps' character would reprise his e.r. exit by jumping in front of a subway train, so I was more surprised than anyone when it was Kutner and I liked it. Yay.
Whitest Kids U'Know is on and it beckons. Later gators! OMG, "The Grapist" is going to "grape you in the mouth."
Heroes finally ended its season (and if you don't like spoilers, turn away fast and go no further). For the briefest of moments I was intensely happy: when I thought our heroes were going to form the Justice League (or something equally geeky and Hiro-appropriate for a team name) at the end. This glee was killed by their decision to stick with the inherently dull "Company." OMG WTF, right? Does the Company have shareholders? What does it sell? Yawnage. Ali Larter coming back as Hydro-man; I called that one when she "died" this last time. Unlike Ian, I was actually hoping they would reveal she's got like 100 twins and would kill her off and intro a new one with new powers every season--and they would all sleep with Adrian Pasdar's character. I loved the moral hit Parkman had to take this episode (I should say "had" since it wasn't necessary and I actually think he should have refused, like Hurley in Lost season 4 re: lying). Herein is why the Sylar fix is s-t-u-p-i-d stupid. Sylar/Nathan, among all his other powers, has the power to "read the past" of anything he touches (a la Longshot). How long before he touches Angela, Noah or Matt and remembers who he is? What about when Claire's stolen regenerative powers simply heal his brain damage until he remembers who he is? The episode previous introduced a far superior plot device for turning Sylar good--something I'll call (and true X-Fans should get this) Rogue Syndrome. The more psyches he incorporates via shapeshifting, the more fractured and "externally" influenced his psyche becomes--so get him to shift into more and more morally good people until the good guys outnumber the not-good guys in his head, forcing him to change his own moral compass; this idea made his sparing of Micah actually believable and palatable to me (and really, how disappointing is it that we finally get Nathan killed off, violently and graphicly, only to have to deal with the bad stilted acting again in future seasons?). Meh.
Contrary to everyone else, I love that Kal Penn's Dr. Kutner killed himself. I dug him the most of all the new House minions, but still was very down with that storyline (not so much the "imprint Amber/Cutthroat Bitch onto the devil-on-my-shoulder story of last episode). When I learned some months ago someone was going to die, I expected it to be Thirteen and really, really hoped Omar Epps' character would reprise his e.r. exit by jumping in front of a subway train, so I was more surprised than anyone when it was Kutner and I liked it. Yay.
Whitest Kids U'Know is on and it beckons. Later gators! OMG, "The Grapist" is going to "grape you in the mouth."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Denise,
Happy Birthday to you!
I love you, dear.
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Denise,
Happy Birthday to you!
I love you, dear.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Starjammers
When I was a wee one, I was a big fan of Battlestar Galactica (that and Dukes of Hazzard were my main live action shows), so between my general disdain for remakes and some not-stellar initial reviews I had from trusted friends, I gave the BSG remake/next generation a big miss when it first came out. I'm not sure why, but now that it's finally over, now that I've other trusted friends who apparently liked it, I've begun putting it through the Netflix rotation and am about half-way through the season one/mini-series as I type this. I'm afraid my accursed Tyler Durden Detector has already gone off, which is going to bum me out a little, as I hate when my Tyler Durden Detector goes off too early, but something seems too convenient about the lady who gets to inherit the Presidency when everyone else died in the beginning. I'm resisting my urge to Google, but tell me, she isn't one of those "human" Cylons is she? And why the hell is Starbuck a person? Shame. Olmos seems an unnatural fit for sci fi to me; I am however finding him to be pretty decent at it. And hey, the guy who plays Agent Ballard on Dollhouse is a cast member, so that's cool. Not giving up just yet, but I hope my Tyler Durden Detector behaves itself a little better.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Dollhouse is the Most Intellectually Complex Show on Primetime Television
There, I said it.
I'm about to be lambasted by friends for this, especially those who are fans of Whedon's previous tv series, but I'm coming to the point where I think Dollhouse is his most ambitious show, and his best-crafted. This is where I duck Ian's flamethrower.
I don't even want to address the louder, less reasonable cross-section of feminists who haven't even really watched the show and have condemned it as an extreme objectification of women, but of course I have to. First they obviously aren't truly familiar with anything previously created by Joss Whedon and his stable of writers--as I challenge anyone to provide an example of a female character of theirs who isn't strong, capable, competent. . .who isn't either equal or superior to all of her male counterparts. These people have been providing us with powerful, intelligent, strong women to watch, enjoy and respect for years. To say that this show is just the masturbatory fantasy of every basement-dwelling socially awkward male out there is both a disservice to the show and its creators, but a clear indicator that someone really hasn't been watching the show.
The one thing this show doesn't do is hit its viewer over the head with a message. It doesn't shine a light on how skeezy someone is to pay for a programmable playtoy for the weekend; it doesn't spend all of itstime questioning whether it's appropriate to use a technology just because we have the ability to use it (though both instances do occur in the show, neither are dwelled upon to the point of preachiness). If there's a moral to take away from the show, part of its perfection is that we each have to come into it on our own, navigating the many layers of ethics and morality the show has put forth to come into our own understanding of what this show has to say about our society, about our humanity.
For me, the greatest joy in this show is the debate it brings me, internally and externally with fellow viewers (most particularly Denise). I think the show completely turns the idea of good and evil completely on its head--as I don't believe there's a single character in this show who could fit the definition of a good guy. There are no saints here, only varying degrees of sin, of immorality and amorality, of ethical complexity. Again, I welcome someone trying to proveto me otherwise, because from where I stand there are no good-guys on Dollhouse, only varying degress of better guys. I think the ethical discussion this show demands is the most intriguing, makes this show the most complex of Whedon's to date, and is perhaps destined to be its very downfall. Too many of us want our entertainment simple and to the point and absolutely brain dead. For every Arrested Development and Veronica Mars that falls, ten Big Bang Theories, Two and a Half Men and Tyra shows rise.
I'm about to be lambasted by friends for this, especially those who are fans of Whedon's previous tv series, but I'm coming to the point where I think Dollhouse is his most ambitious show, and his best-crafted. This is where I duck Ian's flamethrower.
I don't even want to address the louder, less reasonable cross-section of feminists who haven't even really watched the show and have condemned it as an extreme objectification of women, but of course I have to. First they obviously aren't truly familiar with anything previously created by Joss Whedon and his stable of writers--as I challenge anyone to provide an example of a female character of theirs who isn't strong, capable, competent. . .who isn't either equal or superior to all of her male counterparts. These people have been providing us with powerful, intelligent, strong women to watch, enjoy and respect for years. To say that this show is just the masturbatory fantasy of every basement-dwelling socially awkward male out there is both a disservice to the show and its creators, but a clear indicator that someone really hasn't been watching the show.
The one thing this show doesn't do is hit its viewer over the head with a message. It doesn't shine a light on how skeezy someone is to pay for a programmable playtoy for the weekend; it doesn't spend all of itstime questioning whether it's appropriate to use a technology just because we have the ability to use it (though both instances do occur in the show, neither are dwelled upon to the point of preachiness). If there's a moral to take away from the show, part of its perfection is that we each have to come into it on our own, navigating the many layers of ethics and morality the show has put forth to come into our own understanding of what this show has to say about our society, about our humanity.
For me, the greatest joy in this show is the debate it brings me, internally and externally with fellow viewers (most particularly Denise). I think the show completely turns the idea of good and evil completely on its head--as I don't believe there's a single character in this show who could fit the definition of a good guy. There are no saints here, only varying degrees of sin, of immorality and amorality, of ethical complexity. Again, I welcome someone trying to proveto me otherwise, because from where I stand there are no good-guys on Dollhouse, only varying degress of better guys. I think the ethical discussion this show demands is the most intriguing, makes this show the most complex of Whedon's to date, and is perhaps destined to be its very downfall. Too many of us want our entertainment simple and to the point and absolutely brain dead. For every Arrested Development and Veronica Mars that falls, ten Big Bang Theories, Two and a Half Men and Tyra shows rise.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Peaces
Just chilling out enjoying some Long Way Down on dvd. These locations are amazing.
Last night's Lost. . .as much as I hate Kate-centric or Jack-centric episodes, this one really worked for me, had a lot of multi-layered allusions back to past events, lots of loose-end tying. Not shabby at all. And glee @ predicting how young Ben would get healed in advance. Looking forward (how very much not the appropriate emotion) to what I expect to be Ben's killing young Charlie next week in order to spur Desmond back to the island. I miss him calling everyone "brother" every thirty seconds.
Had a bad day--am having a pleasant night. Thanks to everyone who's sent all their kind thoughts and well-wishings this past week. You rock.
Last night's Lost. . .as much as I hate Kate-centric or Jack-centric episodes, this one really worked for me, had a lot of multi-layered allusions back to past events, lots of loose-end tying. Not shabby at all. And glee @ predicting how young Ben would get healed in advance. Looking forward (how very much not the appropriate emotion) to what I expect to be Ben's killing young Charlie next week in order to spur Desmond back to the island. I miss him calling everyone "brother" every thirty seconds.
Had a bad day--am having a pleasant night. Thanks to everyone who's sent all their kind thoughts and well-wishings this past week. You rock.
Venting
First up, the cardiology results:
1. I have a larger heart chamber than normal, but one that he says is actually the right size for someone my height and if I were at my ideal BMI.
2. I have a small leak in my pulmonary valve.
3. I have ventricular hypertrophy, which because I don't have high blood pressure problems, he says is not regular but nothing to worry about.
4. My PVCs went away entirely during the treadmill test, showing that activity is not a risk on my heart, but rather the opposite.
The end result was him saying I'm fine enough and that as long as I don't have new or worsening symptoms, I don't require any surgery or medications. Afterwards, he reminded me that I'm overweight and should improve my diet and exercise.
This last has led to immediate and recurrent pressures from one front that I should undergo surgical options I neither want nor feel at all necessary at this point. It's increasing my stress load a great deal though responding to these pressures. I don't need them. And it's beginning to upset me enough to make me want to isolate myself from them.
A week from today I see my general practitioner again and plan to be going over all of these results, plus the results from my yearly lab work-up with him then.
The nutshell: if you've been worrying for me, thank you, now feel free to cease doing so. And a very big thank you to the Taylors for all the help they've given us recently with watching kids while Denise and I deal with so many doctors' visits these past few weeks.
1. I have a larger heart chamber than normal, but one that he says is actually the right size for someone my height and if I were at my ideal BMI.
2. I have a small leak in my pulmonary valve.
3. I have ventricular hypertrophy, which because I don't have high blood pressure problems, he says is not regular but nothing to worry about.
4. My PVCs went away entirely during the treadmill test, showing that activity is not a risk on my heart, but rather the opposite.
The end result was him saying I'm fine enough and that as long as I don't have new or worsening symptoms, I don't require any surgery or medications. Afterwards, he reminded me that I'm overweight and should improve my diet and exercise.
This last has led to immediate and recurrent pressures from one front that I should undergo surgical options I neither want nor feel at all necessary at this point. It's increasing my stress load a great deal though responding to these pressures. I don't need them. And it's beginning to upset me enough to make me want to isolate myself from them.
A week from today I see my general practitioner again and plan to be going over all of these results, plus the results from my yearly lab work-up with him then.
The nutshell: if you've been worrying for me, thank you, now feel free to cease doing so. And a very big thank you to the Taylors for all the help they've given us recently with watching kids while Denise and I deal with so many doctors' visits these past few weeks.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Impolite
I think I'm losing my patience for diminished manners in my old age. It used to be that I'd just shrug off someone else's being boorish or rude, but lately I just want to bring the full wrath of Miss Manners down on these people.
Today during my echo cardiogram the tech running my test broke wind, quite quietly but also quite stankily and nary a word of apology or even acknowledgment from her as our closet sized testing room filled with the microscopic particles of rank that escaped her ass. All the while I'm trapped on the table thankful for every time she demanded I hold my breath.
At work I've found my tolerance for assholes greatly diminished--to thepoint I will, and have, refuse to serve someone if they're being particularly annoying douche bags. I feel no guilt whatsoever in this. If you're a drunk (and driving!) in my drive-thru and decide to be particularly crass or douche baggy, you're nixed. If you think it's an acceptable behavior to sexually harass my female staff (or male, but that I never see), you're nixed. I actually don't get people who treat their food preparers so poorly. You may think yourself "better" than your wee fast food employee, but remember, these are the people who just might decide to retaliate with snot burgers. Not that I've ever done that, but I'm just saying. If you haven't seen Waiting, you really should.
I guess it bugs me more when it comes from friends though. Two friends in particular are notorious for not responding to emails, no matter the seriousness of the subject and I find myself fighting a growing urge to just distance myself and break ties. If I'm not worth the time of day for a response or even just an acknowledgment then why should I keep feeling as if they're worth my time of day? The bonds of friendship being strong and all, it makes me feel as if they only go one way.
And by the way, I don't think my echo and treadmill tests went well for me today. At all.
Today during my echo cardiogram the tech running my test broke wind, quite quietly but also quite stankily and nary a word of apology or even acknowledgment from her as our closet sized testing room filled with the microscopic particles of rank that escaped her ass. All the while I'm trapped on the table thankful for every time she demanded I hold my breath.
At work I've found my tolerance for assholes greatly diminished--to thepoint I will, and have, refuse to serve someone if they're being particularly annoying douche bags. I feel no guilt whatsoever in this. If you're a drunk (and driving!) in my drive-thru and decide to be particularly crass or douche baggy, you're nixed. If you think it's an acceptable behavior to sexually harass my female staff (or male, but that I never see), you're nixed. I actually don't get people who treat their food preparers so poorly. You may think yourself "better" than your wee fast food employee, but remember, these are the people who just might decide to retaliate with snot burgers. Not that I've ever done that, but I'm just saying. If you haven't seen Waiting, you really should.
I guess it bugs me more when it comes from friends though. Two friends in particular are notorious for not responding to emails, no matter the seriousness of the subject and I find myself fighting a growing urge to just distance myself and break ties. If I'm not worth the time of day for a response or even just an acknowledgment then why should I keep feeling as if they're worth my time of day? The bonds of friendship being strong and all, it makes me feel as if they only go one way.
And by the way, I don't think my echo and treadmill tests went well for me today. At all.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Manic Monday
So Wednesday I went to the cardiologist. Anyone who's read the fullness of this blog, or knows me in real life, knows that I'm a guy who has lost his faith in much of the medical profession. I mean how many doctors did I see, suffering from major breathing problems, over seven years and never get a chest x-ray. . .too many. So I see a cardiologist on Wednesday for the arrhythmia my regular and only trusted doc discovered. So what happens? The cardiologist listens and listens and listens and declares that he doesn't hear anything. He does pay attention to the EKG I had the week before though and decides that more testing should be done rather than just declaring me fine. This is going to be a busy week for me with the usual full work and kid chauffeuring week; I've an appointment with Lash tomorrow afternoon, the cardiologist is having me in for both an echo cardiogram and a treadmill stress test tomorrow morning and then a follow-up visit with him the next day for the results (either that or wait 4 weeks for him to come back from vacation--no thanks). I'm already weary.
As narcissistic as Twitter is, it taught me Blink 182 is back together this week and that makes me happy. I missed their bubblegum punk.
Anyone else give Better off Ted a try yet? I've really enjoyed the first couple episodes. Not just because it has Portia Di Rossi, but it feels reminiscent of Arrested Development to me comedically, like they might be not-quite-kissing cousins. I can already see the fan rally to save the show from cancellation being a torrent of creamer packets shipped to the studio.
Seriously folks, Dollhouse is dangerously close to being my second favorite Joss Whedon helmed show of all time (sorry Firefly, but at least I get to see River terminate pigeons on Sarah Conner the preceding hour). It is that good. And all the feminist rantings about it--clearly folks with no real long-term viewing of this or any other Joss show. Catch up with it on Hulu if you haven't been watching it, and then start watching it. I think this show would make George Orwell proud.
Pearl Jam re-released Ten this week. Why is a band that was once so anti-studio, record company, commercialism, etc. putting out 5 versions of re-release for the consumers (4 different packaging options on Amazon and other retailers plus the full album available for the Rock Band game. This is the version I want to think about getting.)? Seems a bit much. And they'll be doing it again and again over the next two years with the rest of their catalog.
As narcissistic as Twitter is, it taught me Blink 182 is back together this week and that makes me happy. I missed their bubblegum punk.
Anyone else give Better off Ted a try yet? I've really enjoyed the first couple episodes. Not just because it has Portia Di Rossi, but it feels reminiscent of Arrested Development to me comedically, like they might be not-quite-kissing cousins. I can already see the fan rally to save the show from cancellation being a torrent of creamer packets shipped to the studio.
Seriously folks, Dollhouse is dangerously close to being my second favorite Joss Whedon helmed show of all time (sorry Firefly, but at least I get to see River terminate pigeons on Sarah Conner the preceding hour). It is that good. And all the feminist rantings about it--clearly folks with no real long-term viewing of this or any other Joss show. Catch up with it on Hulu if you haven't been watching it, and then start watching it. I think this show would make George Orwell proud.
Pearl Jam re-released Ten this week. Why is a band that was once so anti-studio, record company, commercialism, etc. putting out 5 versions of re-release for the consumers (4 different packaging options on Amazon and other retailers plus the full album available for the Rock Band game. This is the version I want to think about getting.)? Seems a bit much. And they'll be doing it again and again over the next two years with the rest of their catalog.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Scattered
As I've been lax writing here again lately, I'll likely be a bit slip-shod in this posting as I smooth back into things. I really do need to be less neglectful of this, regardless of how mundane the content.
I've been doing a lot of mental prep for a pitch I'm going to be putting together. I need to get my thoughts down on keyboard so they'll congeal better and turn into something as absolutely groovy as I believe they will be. Then I need to start harassing one of my more artistic friends into taking the pitch plunge with me; as much as I'd love to write and draw myself, my drawing output is too slow. More details as I get more ready to stick myself out there in the comics field again.
As mentioned, I've seen Watchmen and over-all I found it, with the exception of Rorschach, to be soulless, cumbersome and not the best acted. Obviously staying true to the source material 100% is an impossibility, but I find a lot of what they chose to excise was responsible in the written material for making the story more human and relate able.
At my annual physical yesterday, Dr. John discovered a bigeminy arrhythmia in my heart. Apparently if it's just that on its own, then I'm mostly just fine; if it turns out it's a symptom of something else, then it's dire enough that I could drop dead any minute now. Either way, the soonest a cardiologist would see me to find out, will be this upcoming Wednesday. Until then I have instructions not to strain or over-stress myself. Yay! How dare I beat cancer.
More later; I'm feeling a bit scattered.
I've been doing a lot of mental prep for a pitch I'm going to be putting together. I need to get my thoughts down on keyboard so they'll congeal better and turn into something as absolutely groovy as I believe they will be. Then I need to start harassing one of my more artistic friends into taking the pitch plunge with me; as much as I'd love to write and draw myself, my drawing output is too slow. More details as I get more ready to stick myself out there in the comics field again.
As mentioned, I've seen Watchmen and over-all I found it, with the exception of Rorschach, to be soulless, cumbersome and not the best acted. Obviously staying true to the source material 100% is an impossibility, but I find a lot of what they chose to excise was responsible in the written material for making the story more human and relate able.
At my annual physical yesterday, Dr. John discovered a bigeminy arrhythmia in my heart. Apparently if it's just that on its own, then I'm mostly just fine; if it turns out it's a symptom of something else, then it's dire enough that I could drop dead any minute now. Either way, the soonest a cardiologist would see me to find out, will be this upcoming Wednesday. Until then I have instructions not to strain or over-stress myself. Yay! How dare I beat cancer.
More later; I'm feeling a bit scattered.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday, to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, Chris,
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, Chris,
Happy Birthday to you.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
One
I'm watching the 4th disk of Nip/Tuck season 5 yesterday and left the episode where Gina dies wondering if it's simply Jessalyn Gilsig's lot in life to play television characters who are somewhat broken and end up dead. Seeing as this is what happens to three of the four television roles I know her from (the other dearly departed characters of hers are in Heroes and Prisonbreak; I don't think she got offed in Boston Public, but anything's possible).
I do not think I will be seeing Watchmen this weekend. C'est la vies.
Yesterday Denise lost her wallet. This is a little bit of a headache, and very frustrating to have so many pieces of personal identification of hers out there potentially in the hands of less than honest people, but the cancellation of cards and requesting of new ones apparently went very smoothly for her. Whew.
An unprofessional and disrespectful tirade from my boss in response to a simple question about my schedule at work has left me struggling to hold my tongue and stay on the job. Every minute I'm there right now is entirely unpleasant.
Today it's also become clear to me that I and someone very close to me have extremely fundamentally different ideas about a lot of aspects of life I hold to be important--personal responsibility, friendship, forgiveness, love, remorse, respect. . .coming to this realization leaves me at the lowest I've been in a very long time.
I'm thankful I have Denise, understanding and supportive, and loving, in my life as I find myself negotiating new emotional terrain. Aside from her, I've never felt so alone.
I do not think I will be seeing Watchmen this weekend. C'est la vies.
Yesterday Denise lost her wallet. This is a little bit of a headache, and very frustrating to have so many pieces of personal identification of hers out there potentially in the hands of less than honest people, but the cancellation of cards and requesting of new ones apparently went very smoothly for her. Whew.
An unprofessional and disrespectful tirade from my boss in response to a simple question about my schedule at work has left me struggling to hold my tongue and stay on the job. Every minute I'm there right now is entirely unpleasant.
Today it's also become clear to me that I and someone very close to me have extremely fundamentally different ideas about a lot of aspects of life I hold to be important--personal responsibility, friendship, forgiveness, love, remorse, respect. . .coming to this realization leaves me at the lowest I've been in a very long time.
I'm thankful I have Denise, understanding and supportive, and loving, in my life as I find myself negotiating new emotional terrain. Aside from her, I've never felt so alone.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Simple Things
Things making me smile today:
Rael demanding to wear his underpants backwards so his cartoon characters are in front.
Finding two bucks in my pants and spending them on a BK Mocha Joe this morning after zero hours of sleep.
Having a story idea I'm ready to explore working up into a pitch again after a bit of blockage.
Four days 'til my next day off.
Sigh.
Rael demanding to wear his underpants backwards so his cartoon characters are in front.
Finding two bucks in my pants and spending them on a BK Mocha Joe this morning after zero hours of sleep.
Having a story idea I'm ready to explore working up into a pitch again after a bit of blockage.
Four days 'til my next day off.
Sigh.
Monday, March 02, 2009
The Post Man
I'm feeling pretty bored/boring lately, sorry. I know it's been a while. My inner narcissist wants to whine that almost no one has mentioned any lack of writing. . .but my inner narcissist is a douche bag.
My last post was written while I was on my vacation. Pretty much every day and night of vacation went very well for me, very pleasant, mostly enjoyable, spending a lot of time with the kids, Denise and Chris, playing Rock Band, taking naps, visiting Chrissy, having sleepovers, etc. Good times.
I both saw and read Wanted for the first time in the past two weeks. Dare I say I prefer the movie? The comic just read as more of the same anti-hero, celebrate the villain deconstructionist bullshit we've already had too much of in comics since Watchmen and Dark Knight came out in the 1980s. The movie, while a far cry from being awesome, had more redeemable qualities and characters.
Speaking of Watchmen, I'm supposed to get out and see it this Friday with Chris for his birthday. Right now I still don't know if my work schedule is going to permit this. We're hoping. Right now there are other considerations weighing on me as well. We'll see. I wonder how many people are going to ignore the fact this movie is R rated and take their kids to see it because it's a "superhero" movie and then wail about the damage Billy Crudup's giant blue penis did to their kids' psyches in public. My warning to you: parents don't take your kids to see Watchmen.
Work frustrates me so much I'm constantly on the verge of walking off the job. The only thing that stops me is my responsibilities to my family and the continuing lack of other prospects in the area.
I've lost a few pounds, but I don't know where--as I don't look a single bit leaner.
What else. . .
My last post was written while I was on my vacation. Pretty much every day and night of vacation went very well for me, very pleasant, mostly enjoyable, spending a lot of time with the kids, Denise and Chris, playing Rock Band, taking naps, visiting Chrissy, having sleepovers, etc. Good times.
I both saw and read Wanted for the first time in the past two weeks. Dare I say I prefer the movie? The comic just read as more of the same anti-hero, celebrate the villain deconstructionist bullshit we've already had too much of in comics since Watchmen and Dark Knight came out in the 1980s. The movie, while a far cry from being awesome, had more redeemable qualities and characters.
Speaking of Watchmen, I'm supposed to get out and see it this Friday with Chris for his birthday. Right now I still don't know if my work schedule is going to permit this. We're hoping. Right now there are other considerations weighing on me as well. We'll see. I wonder how many people are going to ignore the fact this movie is R rated and take their kids to see it because it's a "superhero" movie and then wail about the damage Billy Crudup's giant blue penis did to their kids' psyches in public. My warning to you: parents don't take your kids to see Watchmen.
Work frustrates me so much I'm constantly on the verge of walking off the job. The only thing that stops me is my responsibilities to my family and the continuing lack of other prospects in the area.
I've lost a few pounds, but I don't know where--as I don't look a single bit leaner.
What else. . .
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Taken
Mixed reviews for Taken? I don't want to scan any of them, let them accidentally bias my own opinion. Given my love for Leon the Professional, when I grokked their connection, I had to see this one. And so Denise and I saw it today.
I'll just start by saying that Denise, who generally prefers action flicks more than I claim to, didn't think it was her cup of tea: primarily, there weren't enough explosions for her, and the torture turned her off. Me, I found the torture integral to the storyline and felt it fit right in.
For me, there's a visceral response to thrillers that I often will use to gauge my enjoyment of said thriller: time spent either gritting my teeth and/or holding my breath. There is a direct correlation between the frequency a thriller's intensity causes these reactions in me and my pure enjoyment of the film. I did a lot of breath holding.
It's been a while since Liam Neeson's proven himself a bad ass (Qui Gon is bad ass lite), but I think he's finally topped even Darkman for bad-assery.
Tangentially: ADJ, I finally watched Pineapple Express yesterday and it was every bit as good as you said it would be (the best of Apatow's flicks since Virgin, in my not-so-humble opinion), now go watch Smiley Face.
I'll just start by saying that Denise, who generally prefers action flicks more than I claim to, didn't think it was her cup of tea: primarily, there weren't enough explosions for her, and the torture turned her off. Me, I found the torture integral to the storyline and felt it fit right in.
For me, there's a visceral response to thrillers that I often will use to gauge my enjoyment of said thriller: time spent either gritting my teeth and/or holding my breath. There is a direct correlation between the frequency a thriller's intensity causes these reactions in me and my pure enjoyment of the film. I did a lot of breath holding.
It's been a while since Liam Neeson's proven himself a bad ass (Qui Gon is bad ass lite), but I think he's finally topped even Darkman for bad-assery.
Tangentially: ADJ, I finally watched Pineapple Express yesterday and it was every bit as good as you said it would be (the best of Apatow's flicks since Virgin, in my not-so-humble opinion), now go watch Smiley Face.
Monday, February 09, 2009
You've Got Mail
My next door neighbour just delivered mail of mine that was delivered to her on accident. Except the mail is 3-4 weeks old (as what she brought me was a cable bill that's now 3 weeks past due) and it's been opened. This particular neighbour has never given any sort of problem before, but I think this is going to have to end up being a call the cops sort of infarction.
The kids are on vacation for a week again, starting today, and have way too much pent-up energy. Personally, I wish this vacation were a week earlier or later. I'm taking four of my five vacation days this week and was looking forward to some peace and quiet interspersed between being available to help some friends out if they need us.
Microsoft decided it would be cheaper for them to send me a new Xbox 360 rather than repair my broken one, and included a one month extension of my Live Gold account. I'm ok with this. The only downside, I had to re-download the 14 or so gigabytes of downloadable content I had in order to assign the license for them to the new console. Everything else is upside.
The past week saw Chris & Chrissy's 15th wedding anniversary and Aeia's 9th birthday. Happy Anniversary to the Taylors and Happy Birthday to my daughter!
The kids are on vacation for a week again, starting today, and have way too much pent-up energy. Personally, I wish this vacation were a week earlier or later. I'm taking four of my five vacation days this week and was looking forward to some peace and quiet interspersed between being available to help some friends out if they need us.
Microsoft decided it would be cheaper for them to send me a new Xbox 360 rather than repair my broken one, and included a one month extension of my Live Gold account. I'm ok with this. The only downside, I had to re-download the 14 or so gigabytes of downloadable content I had in order to assign the license for them to the new console. Everything else is upside.
The past week saw Chris & Chrissy's 15th wedding anniversary and Aeia's 9th birthday. Happy Anniversary to the Taylors and Happy Birthday to my daughter!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Cancer Checked
Today was my annual oncologist appointment (I only delayed it two months this time instead of something like eight), which really doesn't do much in itself. My oncologist listened to my breathing and states that it sounds like everything continues to be fine. My annual chest ct with radioactive contrast was also scheduled (this coming Friday), the results of which will more clearly determine whether all remains well or no. I need to make a regular dr. appointment too and determine if my high blood pressure was more a result of annual stress at this particular visit, and other things, or if I need to have my BP better monitored/regulated.
I need to direct some energy towards other endeavors now. Later!
I need to direct some energy towards other endeavors now. Later!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I Watch Too Much Television Meme
1. Bold the shows you watch/used to watch regularly.
2. Italicize the shows you've seen at least one episode of.
3. Asterisk the shows you own on DVD (at least one season).
4. Post your answers.
50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. *Veronica Mars*
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek (TOS)
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. *CSI Las Vegas*
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office
22. The Shield
21. *Angel*
20. Blackadder
19. *Scrubs*
18. *Arrested Development*
17. *South Park*
16. Dr Who
15. Heroes
14. *Firefly*
13. Battlestar Galactica
12. *Family Guy*
11. Seinfeld
10. Spaced
09. *The X-Files*
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*
01. *The Simpsons*
2. Italicize the shows you've seen at least one episode of.
3. Asterisk the shows you own on DVD (at least one season).
4. Post your answers.
50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. *Veronica Mars*
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek (TOS)
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. *CSI Las Vegas*
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office
22. The Shield
21. *Angel*
20. Blackadder
19. *Scrubs*
18. *Arrested Development*
17. *South Park*
16. Dr Who
15. Heroes
14. *Firefly*
13. Battlestar Galactica
12. *Family Guy*
11. Seinfeld
10. Spaced
09. *The X-Files*
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*
01. *The Simpsons*
Live to Tell
I've been getting a little berating from Brian and Denise for not writing here in almost a wweek. Sorry, I haven't wanted to share this last week, but I could have probably found something somewhat banal to say at least.
I have a lot on my mind right now, and much of it relates to things that I actually refrain from sharing here, which makes sharing the rest here harder. I'm still dedicated to a much greater writing output; I just need a few days to compose myself this week.
Tomorrow is my annual oncology appointment. I'm a little extra stressed about that.
I have a lot on my mind right now, and much of it relates to things that I actually refrain from sharing here, which makes sharing the rest here harder. I'm still dedicated to a much greater writing output; I just need a few days to compose myself this week.
Tomorrow is my annual oncology appointment. I'm a little extra stressed about that.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
So What
I had something to say last night, and lying in bed I decided I'd get to it today. And of course I can not remember what the heck I wanted to say last night. Lame.
Last week my Xbox 360 died, threw on up the dreaded "red rings of death" and so it's now in transit to the good folks at Microsoft's repair center in Texas. I know it's just a video game, which is so nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it's an integral part of my weekly unwind from work and spend time with friends every Saturday night, so its absence is abhorrent in that regard. For me, there aren't other options for Saturday nights at my place: gaming is Sunday (and 2 days a week is draining); if I never ever play Phase 10 again I will die happy. So, for a couple weeks, while I wait on an idea for how long the repair will take, I've rented a console, which is still slightly inconvenient, but better than the alternative for me.
This morning Denise woke me up to tell me my car wouldn't start and to give her a ride to work. Irksome. I need to figure that one out. It ran perfectly fine yesterday.
Yearly oncology appointment is next monday. . .
I'm so over all of the Obama mania. Can we get over it already and get this country working well again? The guy needs to start kicking ass right out of the gate, so get to it already. History's been made. Whoop-de-do. Next?
Last week my Xbox 360 died, threw on up the dreaded "red rings of death" and so it's now in transit to the good folks at Microsoft's repair center in Texas. I know it's just a video game, which is so nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it's an integral part of my weekly unwind from work and spend time with friends every Saturday night, so its absence is abhorrent in that regard. For me, there aren't other options for Saturday nights at my place: gaming is Sunday (and 2 days a week is draining); if I never ever play Phase 10 again I will die happy. So, for a couple weeks, while I wait on an idea for how long the repair will take, I've rented a console, which is still slightly inconvenient, but better than the alternative for me.
This morning Denise woke me up to tell me my car wouldn't start and to give her a ride to work. Irksome. I need to figure that one out. It ran perfectly fine yesterday.
Yearly oncology appointment is next monday. . .
I'm so over all of the Obama mania. Can we get over it already and get this country working well again? The guy needs to start kicking ass right out of the gate, so get to it already. History's been made. Whoop-de-do. Next?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
You Got It
My earlier post "Unresolved" just got two spam comments, which I've deleted, from a user named, cleverly, "123," whom I've reported to Blogger as a spammer. I'm really hoping this isn't the start of another spamming spree. Maybe it's time to turn the word verification on again. . .I really don't want to go to having comments moderated & approved before posting, as I prefer true discourse, even when it disagrees with me. We'll see, I guess.
Season 8 of American Idol is off to it's usual start: truly decent slash good vocalists presented within an abyss of really exceptionally bad vocalists. It amazes me that after so many years we still see so many horrific singers show for these try-outs. See, I know I'm not a great singer, and have Rock Band as my outlet, where, at worst, I annoy my neighbours and not all of America. And I get the ones who obviously know they don't have it, but show up anyway for their 30 seconds of fame (really, who has time for fifteen minutes anymore?), but the rest, the awful ones who come off so devastated. . .are people really that non-self-aware? I cry.
Scrubs spoiled: J.D. and Eliot are together again. Surprise, surprise. Otherwise, it's been ok. Not the pure fantastic joy it once was, but better than the last two seasons. . .so far. I hold out hope. One of the new doctors is an extremely blunt and slightly cold no-nonsense type named Denise. I chuckle.
Season 8 of American Idol is off to it's usual start: truly decent slash good vocalists presented within an abyss of really exceptionally bad vocalists. It amazes me that after so many years we still see so many horrific singers show for these try-outs. See, I know I'm not a great singer, and have Rock Band as my outlet, where, at worst, I annoy my neighbours and not all of America. And I get the ones who obviously know they don't have it, but show up anyway for their 30 seconds of fame (really, who has time for fifteen minutes anymore?), but the rest, the awful ones who come off so devastated. . .are people really that non-self-aware? I cry.
Scrubs spoiled: J.D. and Eliot are together again. Surprise, surprise. Otherwise, it's been ok. Not the pure fantastic joy it once was, but better than the last two seasons. . .so far. I hold out hope. One of the new doctors is an extremely blunt and slightly cold no-nonsense type named Denise. I chuckle.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Grr. Arr.
My request for today: if you feel you absolutely must berate me and chew me a new asshole, please be sure to at least do it for something that I myself am responsible for and not or something I've no control or connection to.
Today was a "Take This Job and Shove It" day, but I kept as cool as I could and didn't go that route, as tempting as it was.
La di da di da. Onward.
Today was a "Take This Job and Shove It" day, but I kept as cool as I could and didn't go that route, as tempting as it was.
La di da di da. Onward.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Mark These Words
My word for 2009 aside, I do have certain goals for the coming year as well (not resolutions, just stuff I'd like to complete, and great if I do, oh well if I don't): win, grow, lose, continue, begin, end, win. This list makes complete sense to me, though I know that my avoiding definition/expansion makes the entire thing perhaps manipulatively vague--I apologize for this, but it'll remain as such for the nonce. I may/will elaborate as goals are met though. More likely will than may.
Last week a dear friend of mine sat me down to talk to me about my clearly being strongly depressed, and the intervention on their part moved me, but admittedly felt to have come from left field because I know that I've actually, as far as general emotions go,been more up than not and on a trend of up being more and more.
Then I read this blog and can see where a lot can be read into things here. I do gripe a decent amount sure. And clearly, reasonably, the passing of my grandmother left me depressed; at the time, motivating me out of bed was a task. Now, I remain sad, ever will, that she isn't here any more, but I'm at peace. I miss her and love her and live my life. You dig?
As much as I complain about my job, I'm actually thankful for it. It pays my bills, mostly, and cares for my family. I may grouse, and do work with thoughts towards something better, but I'm happy to be in the position I'm in when so many people are struggling so much harder right now. I feel fortunate.
Denise and I are in a really good place with our relationship. The kids are healthy and usually happy, always loved and loving. My appetites remain the same; my hobbies continue with the same attention as always. I live life looking forward to what the day will bring me and what I will bring the day.
I've never been the guy who walks around smiling like an insane person, and even at my happiest, I'm not a big laugher (which is actually hard with less lungs). There are days I may have a down mood, a moment of anger. Right now I have a great amount of worry for a large handful of my closer friends, which respecting all of their privacies is all I'll say there.
It makes me happy, touched even, to have been shown that I'm important to others and that they care, and it's because of this I feel I want to assure you all, when looking at my emotional state on whole, I am in a much better place than I was one or two years ago. I am happy.
And damn it, I will get happier.
Last week a dear friend of mine sat me down to talk to me about my clearly being strongly depressed, and the intervention on their part moved me, but admittedly felt to have come from left field because I know that I've actually, as far as general emotions go,been more up than not and on a trend of up being more and more.
Then I read this blog and can see where a lot can be read into things here. I do gripe a decent amount sure. And clearly, reasonably, the passing of my grandmother left me depressed; at the time, motivating me out of bed was a task. Now, I remain sad, ever will, that she isn't here any more, but I'm at peace. I miss her and love her and live my life. You dig?
As much as I complain about my job, I'm actually thankful for it. It pays my bills, mostly, and cares for my family. I may grouse, and do work with thoughts towards something better, but I'm happy to be in the position I'm in when so many people are struggling so much harder right now. I feel fortunate.
Denise and I are in a really good place with our relationship. The kids are healthy and usually happy, always loved and loving. My appetites remain the same; my hobbies continue with the same attention as always. I live life looking forward to what the day will bring me and what I will bring the day.
I've never been the guy who walks around smiling like an insane person, and even at my happiest, I'm not a big laugher (which is actually hard with less lungs). There are days I may have a down mood, a moment of anger. Right now I have a great amount of worry for a large handful of my closer friends, which respecting all of their privacies is all I'll say there.
It makes me happy, touched even, to have been shown that I'm important to others and that they care, and it's because of this I feel I want to assure you all, when looking at my emotional state on whole, I am in a much better place than I was one or two years ago. I am happy.
And damn it, I will get happier.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Where'd You Go?
Hey all! I'm here; I'm fine. Been a busy week with both cars breaking down and needing repairs, the kids returning to school from the winter break, Denise's deposition, work, etc. so I've just been trying to relax and ignore the computer a bit. Return to regular posting will commence next week.
Love ya.
Love ya.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Questioning the Answers
So without further comment, ADJ's annual, year end meme:
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
That I'm willing to share here? Prior to 2008, I'd never retracted a work resignation; I've never sued someone before 2008 either.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I no longer make New Years' resolutions. See my previous post.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
This year was 100% California.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Peace.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Geez, I don't even remember the specific date, but late Fall when I got the call about my grandmother.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Did I achieve anything this year? Being more gracious.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't start writing my book.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing more than the usual and chronic ongoing yuckiness.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Nothing has given more consistent value and fun for its cost than Rock Band, but just because I lusted for one for so long, the PS3 goes here.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I find a lot more joy in Rael's this year. Does that count?
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
John's.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Buying and repairing the Escort (ok, rent for the year was the most rent)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Not a lot, I've felt pretty dead inside this year. There were good shiney exciting feelings: Cammie's visit, Chris' return, kids' birthdays & holidays.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't think I could pick just one, or three.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Sadder.
ii. Thinner or fatter?
'Bout the same really.
iii. richer or poorer?
'Bout the same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Laughed.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work.
20. How many one-night stands?
Zero.
21. What was your favourite TV program?
Pushing Daisies
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is an extreme emotion I reserve for three people, none of which were new to the list this year.
23. What was the best book you read?
Goodness, unlike last year, I really didn't do much reading this year. I've been re-reading the Iron Tower trilogy by Dennis McKiernan, which I do enjoy, and I've begun reading the Rachel Morgan and Mercy Thompson (these are the characters, not the authors) series, both of which I enjoyed. I continue to start and not finish Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things.
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
She & Him, and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
25. What did you want and not get?
(Game show announcer voice) A Brand New Car! Respect in job.
26. What was your favourite film of this year?
Tropic Thunder, Once, Juno.
27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
34 this year. Nothing special happened on my birthday this year. I was supposed to be at burger university but that got canceled, so I worked, and had to deal with a surprise corporate inspection on my birthday.
28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
When not working, I dress for comfort, and occasional whimsy.
29. What kept you sane?
The kids, Saturday get-togethers.
30. Who did you miss?
More than anything/one, my grandmother.
31. Who was the best new person you met?
My gut answer to this doesn't count, because Cammie wasn't really new. And all the truly "new" people I've met have been fairly superficial, either "friends" on Facebook or new coworkers. Of them, I like Holly and Alex the most, respectively.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Sometimes it's really hard, but really right, to just shut the fuck up.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
That I'm willing to share here? Prior to 2008, I'd never retracted a work resignation; I've never sued someone before 2008 either.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I no longer make New Years' resolutions. See my previous post.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
This year was 100% California.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Peace.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Geez, I don't even remember the specific date, but late Fall when I got the call about my grandmother.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Did I achieve anything this year? Being more gracious.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't start writing my book.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing more than the usual and chronic ongoing yuckiness.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Nothing has given more consistent value and fun for its cost than Rock Band, but just because I lusted for one for so long, the PS3 goes here.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I find a lot more joy in Rael's this year. Does that count?
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
John's.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Buying and repairing the Escort (ok, rent for the year was the most rent)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Not a lot, I've felt pretty dead inside this year. There were good shiney exciting feelings: Cammie's visit, Chris' return, kids' birthdays & holidays.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't think I could pick just one, or three.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Sadder.
ii. Thinner or fatter?
'Bout the same really.
iii. richer or poorer?
'Bout the same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Laughed.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work.
20. How many one-night stands?
Zero.
21. What was your favourite TV program?
Pushing Daisies
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is an extreme emotion I reserve for three people, none of which were new to the list this year.
23. What was the best book you read?
Goodness, unlike last year, I really didn't do much reading this year. I've been re-reading the Iron Tower trilogy by Dennis McKiernan, which I do enjoy, and I've begun reading the Rachel Morgan and Mercy Thompson (these are the characters, not the authors) series, both of which I enjoyed. I continue to start and not finish Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things.
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
She & Him, and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
25. What did you want and not get?
(Game show announcer voice) A Brand New Car! Respect in job.
26. What was your favourite film of this year?
Tropic Thunder, Once, Juno.
27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
34 this year. Nothing special happened on my birthday this year. I was supposed to be at burger university but that got canceled, so I worked, and had to deal with a surprise corporate inspection on my birthday.
28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
When not working, I dress for comfort, and occasional whimsy.
29. What kept you sane?
The kids, Saturday get-togethers.
30. Who did you miss?
More than anything/one, my grandmother.
31. Who was the best new person you met?
My gut answer to this doesn't count, because Cammie wasn't really new. And all the truly "new" people I've met have been fairly superficial, either "friends" on Facebook or new coworkers. Of them, I like Holly and Alex the most, respectively.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Sometimes it's really hard, but really right, to just shut the fuck up.
Unresolved
Those who have been reading here with me for a long enough time (or simply been running through the archives) will recall my aversion to making New Year's resolutions and that I instead choose a word for which I try to model my personal character and growth on in order to be a better me. Last year my word was grace. Personally, I feel as if last year's word was a resounding success for me in that the aeras of my life I felt could use more grace, have benefited form more grace; I do think the road to my goal on that one is still not done, though, and I'm going to keep working on that one. Probably will my whole life.
This year I'm going to keep grace going and choose a second word, a second concept. There are words I know I need to grow into more someday but am not ready to be that person yet (trust--I've lived my whole life being failed by people I trust, so I'm not quite ready to change my self concept on this one quite yet), and words that are attractive to me but ultimately too simple or simply not extensive enough (adventurous--I really can't think of much I could do that I'd want to do that would make me feel like a more adventurous person, so I'll just try to do some of these things without them being my word).
I've been talking about this alternate concept of resolutions at work and have gotten three folks to agree they should do it too, which is cool. I like to think that if the idea improves their lives I had a minuscule part in it. My friend Alex has said his word is "Evan," that his goal is to be more Evan. Knowing, more or less, precisely what he means by that, I can see it as a goal for him and approve.
But for me?
Sigh.
I reflect on the last couple years and feel as if I've lived through a lot of it fairly listlessly. There were pure wonderful moments, sure, but most of the time I just floated on. This last year has seen me growing a bit disconnected, to the point I really don't feel great fellowship with/towards my friends. I need to allow myself to feel more, to express emotion more, to just love life more. And so this year my word is, additional to grace, passion. Wish me luck?
So, what's your word going to be?
This year I'm going to keep grace going and choose a second word, a second concept. There are words I know I need to grow into more someday but am not ready to be that person yet (trust--I've lived my whole life being failed by people I trust, so I'm not quite ready to change my self concept on this one quite yet), and words that are attractive to me but ultimately too simple or simply not extensive enough (adventurous--I really can't think of much I could do that I'd want to do that would make me feel like a more adventurous person, so I'll just try to do some of these things without them being my word).
I've been talking about this alternate concept of resolutions at work and have gotten three folks to agree they should do it too, which is cool. I like to think that if the idea improves their lives I had a minuscule part in it. My friend Alex has said his word is "Evan," that his goal is to be more Evan. Knowing, more or less, precisely what he means by that, I can see it as a goal for him and approve.
But for me?
Sigh.
I reflect on the last couple years and feel as if I've lived through a lot of it fairly listlessly. There were pure wonderful moments, sure, but most of the time I just floated on. This last year has seen me growing a bit disconnected, to the point I really don't feel great fellowship with/towards my friends. I need to allow myself to feel more, to express emotion more, to just love life more. And so this year my word is, additional to grace, passion. Wish me luck?
So, what's your word going to be?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Stir of Echoes
No bad dreams last night. The secret? Only getting three hours sleep. I just need to keep that up.
So the store broke last night and I got to close shop two hours early. Aside from losing two hours pay, it was nice to be home early. Everything is fine there now, so back to work in a couple hours. . .
I'm in a decently good mood today. I think I really needed to vent out a little insecurity and frustration, and then experience the fun of a broken store because I feel rejuvenated.
Rael is this very moment trying to convince me there is a dinosaur in our back yard. . .
Yesterday Tassy posted a photo from one of our old club excursions from way back in 1995 and I look like a complete doofus. Seeing it made me smile too. I remember those times very fondly, even if I did look a bit of a tool. Miss hanging around both of those ladies. My first thought, of course, was "wow, I look thin!" followed by "what the hell is with that look on my face?" I think I was being overcome with The Rapture.
So the store broke last night and I got to close shop two hours early. Aside from losing two hours pay, it was nice to be home early. Everything is fine there now, so back to work in a couple hours. . .
I'm in a decently good mood today. I think I really needed to vent out a little insecurity and frustration, and then experience the fun of a broken store because I feel rejuvenated.
Rael is this very moment trying to convince me there is a dinosaur in our back yard. . .
Yesterday Tassy posted a photo from one of our old club excursions from way back in 1995 and I look like a complete doofus. Seeing it made me smile too. I remember those times very fondly, even if I did look a bit of a tool. Miss hanging around both of those ladies. My first thought, of course, was "wow, I look thin!" followed by "what the hell is with that look on my face?" I think I was being overcome with The Rapture.
Monday, December 29, 2008
A Nightmare on Elm Street
I've had a couple odd dreams the past few days, trying to walk myself through self-analyzing them.
Dream One: I somehow convince the US Army to overlook the whole cancer survivor, not-having-two-lungs thing and enlist in the Army, entirely for the attention and so that everyone will shower me with the attention and love they shower on soldiers who are away from home. In the rush to emulate Chris I forget to make sure I get a job I want and will keep me safer, relatively, and end up a paratrooper and die.
Dream Two: (Not part of the dream, but back story--I had a managers meeting to attend this morning but skipped it because of the car being broken and Denise needing the other one so she could be at work). I go to the managers meeting anyway, and the kids and their sitter are attacked by a goon-for-hire with a shotgun, while I'm forced to stay and work a full shift; and though the kids are ultimately ok physically, are extremely traumatized when I return home.
Neither of these dreams were in any way pleasant to me. I feel like the first one speaks to my feelings about how useless my current job is, how it does nothing to better humanity on large or small scales and so, thusly, reflects on me as wholly unimportant; and my fears that if I tried to change things and be unimportant, the failure would be dramatic and catastrophic. I think the second one extends the job feelings and adds some monetary stress along with stress involved with our law suit over Lash's abuse by Bryan.
Today I'm missing my happy thoughts.
Dream One: I somehow convince the US Army to overlook the whole cancer survivor, not-having-two-lungs thing and enlist in the Army, entirely for the attention and so that everyone will shower me with the attention and love they shower on soldiers who are away from home. In the rush to emulate Chris I forget to make sure I get a job I want and will keep me safer, relatively, and end up a paratrooper and die.
Dream Two: (Not part of the dream, but back story--I had a managers meeting to attend this morning but skipped it because of the car being broken and Denise needing the other one so she could be at work). I go to the managers meeting anyway, and the kids and their sitter are attacked by a goon-for-hire with a shotgun, while I'm forced to stay and work a full shift; and though the kids are ultimately ok physically, are extremely traumatized when I return home.
Neither of these dreams were in any way pleasant to me. I feel like the first one speaks to my feelings about how useless my current job is, how it does nothing to better humanity on large or small scales and so, thusly, reflects on me as wholly unimportant; and my fears that if I tried to change things and be unimportant, the failure would be dramatic and catastrophic. I think the second one extends the job feelings and adds some monetary stress along with stress involved with our law suit over Lash's abuse by Bryan.
Today I'm missing my happy thoughts.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Party Boy
I've always disliked the taste of beer. It's bitter, and grainy and not really to my liking at all. And still, when beer is brought for the Saturday Rock Band get togethers, I will invariably have 1-3 in order to be gracious and thankful. Lately, even though I don't even have enough to get a mild buzz, I wake up the next day upset of stomach, head achy and a little grumpy. Last night I didn't even finish my second Sierra Nevada and this morning my head bugs me. A glass or two of wine does not leave me feeling this way. Nor does a white russian. Just beer. I think I need to start graciously turning down the beers, as I prefer being in a good mood the next day.
Speaking of Rock Band, I could do with more 80s and 90s rock and pop downloadable content. I'm getting a bit tired of all the numetal, classic rock and now country we've had on offer the last couple months. The Foo Fighters and No Doubt were nice, and the Siouxsie and the Banshees week was my favourite since starting to play the game in May; I can do with more of that. This week we got Christmas (and a Hannukah) songs. Nice to get holiday songs for the holiday, but they were released on the 23rd. . .so only two, three days of holiday time enjoyment. I think this would have been a bigger win for them had they given the players even another full week to enjoy the songs before we remove them from our harddrives until next year.
Speaking of Rock Band, I could do with more 80s and 90s rock and pop downloadable content. I'm getting a bit tired of all the numetal, classic rock and now country we've had on offer the last couple months. The Foo Fighters and No Doubt were nice, and the Siouxsie and the Banshees week was my favourite since starting to play the game in May; I can do with more of that. This week we got Christmas (and a Hannukah) songs. Nice to get holiday songs for the holiday, but they were released on the 23rd. . .so only two, three days of holiday time enjoyment. I think this would have been a bigger win for them had they given the players even another full week to enjoy the songs before we remove them from our harddrives until next year.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
A Christmas Story
The kids all had a very enjoyable, highly materialistic holiday. My highlight in this: Rael going "I want to open another dinosaur" before opening each of his presents (and he was almost always right--the boy had an explosion of dinosaurs under the tree. . .which is all he wanted). This year I got to learn what it feels like from the parental side of things when a kid doesn't get what they wanted and is vocal about it (I got the wrong color item from one of them and heard all about it).
With my grandmother gone, I have absolutely no family who care to share contact on the holidays any more and so it's been leaving me a little more depressed this year for the holiday. Denise's family sent their yearly contact: an impersonal card and small check, continuing the trend of no connection to her family either. Seriously, it's next to impossible to feel very happy during the holidays anymore. Except for when it comes to the kids, and that really is a big joy in itself. It just doesn't fill every hole for me.
The work X-Mas party was pleasant, though there was some melodrama when one person participated in the "secret Santa" festivities by receiving a present without giving one. . .which caused a flurry of mini scenes. Meh. My secret Santa got me Mama Mia, which was a big yay for me--as a lover of musicals and ABBA, I've really been wanting to get to this one.
Watched a couple movies:
The aforementioned Mama Mia. I enjoyed it, but it didn't feel as much a musical as other musicals do. It's hard to describe, but I felt there was not enough actor-voices involved with actually singing their song numbers. Like I could often hear real ABBA harmonized in the back ground with the actors' voices.
Cashback. It's a little quirky, British comedy about a guy who works in a supermarket and his coworkers. . .about what I expected Clerks to be like before I actually saw Clerks for the first time (in other words, not over-the-top with vulgarity, but lightly funny). Worth renting.
The House Bunny. In all seriousness, I think Anna Faris (sp?) is an under-appreciated comedic genius, possibly pigeonholed as "dumb funny" over her involvement with the spoof comedy series of Scary Movies. She is not Leslie Nielson, folks, and it's sad because Smiley Face was probably one of my favourite comedies all year and it had zip for theatrical release (Ian and ADJ especially, I expect you'll enjoy Smiley Face). Anyway, this wasn't as funny, but still very enjoyable and gave me a few laugh out loud moments. Another one (two) worth the rental.
With my grandmother gone, I have absolutely no family who care to share contact on the holidays any more and so it's been leaving me a little more depressed this year for the holiday. Denise's family sent their yearly contact: an impersonal card and small check, continuing the trend of no connection to her family either. Seriously, it's next to impossible to feel very happy during the holidays anymore. Except for when it comes to the kids, and that really is a big joy in itself. It just doesn't fill every hole for me.
The work X-Mas party was pleasant, though there was some melodrama when one person participated in the "secret Santa" festivities by receiving a present without giving one. . .which caused a flurry of mini scenes. Meh. My secret Santa got me Mama Mia, which was a big yay for me--as a lover of musicals and ABBA, I've really been wanting to get to this one.
Watched a couple movies:
The aforementioned Mama Mia. I enjoyed it, but it didn't feel as much a musical as other musicals do. It's hard to describe, but I felt there was not enough actor-voices involved with actually singing their song numbers. Like I could often hear real ABBA harmonized in the back ground with the actors' voices.
Cashback. It's a little quirky, British comedy about a guy who works in a supermarket and his coworkers. . .about what I expected Clerks to be like before I actually saw Clerks for the first time (in other words, not over-the-top with vulgarity, but lightly funny). Worth renting.
The House Bunny. In all seriousness, I think Anna Faris (sp?) is an under-appreciated comedic genius, possibly pigeonholed as "dumb funny" over her involvement with the spoof comedy series of Scary Movies. She is not Leslie Nielson, folks, and it's sad because Smiley Face was probably one of my favourite comedies all year and it had zip for theatrical release (Ian and ADJ especially, I expect you'll enjoy Smiley Face). Anyway, this wasn't as funny, but still very enjoyable and gave me a few laugh out loud moments. Another one (two) worth the rental.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Scrooged
How sad is the Christmas episode of Brave and the Bold with Red Tornado trying to understand the spirit of Christmas? Thank goodness it got detoured into typical comic violence fairly quickly to numb us from the pain.
Christmas Eve and Lash and Aeia are busily making chocolate crinkle cookies. . .or a facsimile thereof. No judgment to be levied until the cookies are completed. All the shopping's been completed and Denise is working 'til 2 something. Personally, I'm ready for Christmas to be over now. I look forward to watching the kids joyfully (hopefully) opening their presents, but otherwise I'm pretty much over it at this point: too stressful, demanding, obligatory. . .
I need a quick infusion of the holiday spirit again; my batteries are drained.
I wish all of you a happy set of holidays (if you celebrate) and a year full of hope, health and happiness.
Christmas Eve and Lash and Aeia are busily making chocolate crinkle cookies. . .or a facsimile thereof. No judgment to be levied until the cookies are completed. All the shopping's been completed and Denise is working 'til 2 something. Personally, I'm ready for Christmas to be over now. I look forward to watching the kids joyfully (hopefully) opening their presents, but otherwise I'm pretty much over it at this point: too stressful, demanding, obligatory. . .
I need a quick infusion of the holiday spirit again; my batteries are drained.
I wish all of you a happy set of holidays (if you celebrate) and a year full of hope, health and happiness.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Superman
The first week of Operation Optimism is over and all told, save for a couple small stumbles, it went very well. By the weekly Saturday Rock Band get together, I was ready and able to fully and thoroughly enjoy myself. This coming week will be a greater test, I think, as there are the stresses involved with the holidays, this being my first major holiday without a call to my grandma, my work schedule absolutely sucking major ass this week and one of our cars is currently broken (if I ever come to be able to afford a new car, instead of another in an eternal string of used ones destined to doom, I think this would make me sublimely pleased). But I will find a way to keep my chin up. Count on that.
Friday evening the Taylors were kind enough to take all our kids for 3-4 hours so Denise and I could have some alone time for the first time in years. We went out for ice cream; it was nice.
The kids are all very excited for Christmas; Rael expresses this the most loudly and frequently. They make the holiday fun again. Rael's also been doing a lot of comparing peoples' muscles and declaring I'm the strongest in our family. It's cute and that "Daddy is Superman" phase for kids is clearly my favourite.
Friday evening the Taylors were kind enough to take all our kids for 3-4 hours so Denise and I could have some alone time for the first time in years. We went out for ice cream; it was nice.
The kids are all very excited for Christmas; Rael expresses this the most loudly and frequently. They make the holiday fun again. Rael's also been doing a lot of comparing peoples' muscles and declaring I'm the strongest in our family. It's cute and that "Daddy is Superman" phase for kids is clearly my favourite.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Super Size Me
"The scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat."That's the ad text I was greeted with this morning in the paper for, get this, Burger King's new men's body spray ca''ed "Flame."
Oh my frakking god. Who thinks this shit up, really? Is there really a market out there of men crying for burger scented body spray, really? Would someone get me one so I can smell like work on my day off (Not that I don't already--sigh)? Can you picture the brain-storming session on this one: what do men really want in life that they don't have already? To smell like fucking Whoppers.
Will it be available in gift sets with Trans-Fat Hair Gel, Croissanwwich Hand Moisturizing Cream, Fry Vat Bath Oil and Special Sauce Shampoo?
Is this what teen spirit really smelled like?
I just vomited a little in my mouth.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Time Machine
Ever have one of those days where everything is generally going fine, but it just seems like it all takes forever? That's been my day. Worked an excruciatingly forever-feeling mid-day shift today, that really had no highlight or memorable moment other than it seemed like I was there forever.
I swear it took me an hour to print out two mailing labels and wrap two books I need to send for PaperbackSwap.com. I just started using them and if it's a way for me to loose books I can't seem to sell on eBay AND get books I want in return--super groovy.
Ah well, time is time and goes forward however it does, despite my whims.
Things that should have me down today, but don't for the moment: money, the Volvo acting up more than typical, intimidation & harassment, a certain spouse making plans with other people when we have the day off instead of maybe spending a little time with me when we don't actually have time together the rest of the week. . .
Learned some bad news about a friend of mine today, and she's in my thoughts.
I swear it took me an hour to print out two mailing labels and wrap two books I need to send for PaperbackSwap.com. I just started using them and if it's a way for me to loose books I can't seem to sell on eBay AND get books I want in return--super groovy.
Ah well, time is time and goes forward however it does, despite my whims.
Things that should have me down today, but don't for the moment: money, the Volvo acting up more than typical, intimidation & harassment, a certain spouse making plans with other people when we have the day off instead of maybe spending a little time with me when we don't actually have time together the rest of the week. . .
Learned some bad news about a friend of mine today, and she's in my thoughts.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Ice Storm
It's that time of year where we get frost settling on everything during the wee hours of the night. I both love and loathe it. I mean, I am in California, where it's sunny 360 days a year and all I have to do with myself is surf all day and be blonde and tanned. So this frost thing, it's like a novelty (and snow? Don't know it.); I enjoy skidding around on it walking through my parking lot. The loathing comes in when it also means I have to take extra precautions driving to stay safe, scrape ice off windshields, battle the feeling of being cold, etc. Ah, the trials and tribulations of it all.
I actually really dig the cold.
Day three of Operation Optimism and things go well. The usual douche bags that would get my ire at work haven't been (I mean, they do get my ire, but only in the moment, no longer lingering) and other work situations that would have me loathing the rest of my day just don't.
I was able to squeeze a little blood from the financial stone and throw a few presents Denise's way as well. This pleases me. Other things, some of which I'd been stressing over, have left me feeling more positive the past couple days: legal stuff, the phone battle of 2008, etc.
I dropped by the comic store yesterday and picked up my two-month backlog of comics: all six issues. It pleases me that I've been able to hold to my conviction to stop reading crappy books for more than a year now. No more holding on to X-Men for a decade just so I can say I have all the issues. Three comics a month (one of them entirely for the kids too) and the occasional TPB is all that gets my money. Which today made me realize I'd discovered why I'd been able to swing a bit more money towards other forms of entertainment (movies, video games, etc.) this year. And I have zero regrets for it.
Anyhow, time to cut this short; Denise is home and we need to sort presents for wrapping and start setting up the house for decorating.
I actually really dig the cold.
Day three of Operation Optimism and things go well. The usual douche bags that would get my ire at work haven't been (I mean, they do get my ire, but only in the moment, no longer lingering) and other work situations that would have me loathing the rest of my day just don't.
I was able to squeeze a little blood from the financial stone and throw a few presents Denise's way as well. This pleases me. Other things, some of which I'd been stressing over, have left me feeling more positive the past couple days: legal stuff, the phone battle of 2008, etc.
I dropped by the comic store yesterday and picked up my two-month backlog of comics: all six issues. It pleases me that I've been able to hold to my conviction to stop reading crappy books for more than a year now. No more holding on to X-Men for a decade just so I can say I have all the issues. Three comics a month (one of them entirely for the kids too) and the occasional TPB is all that gets my money. Which today made me realize I'd discovered why I'd been able to swing a bit more money towards other forms of entertainment (movies, video games, etc.) this year. And I have zero regrets for it.
Anyhow, time to cut this short; Denise is home and we need to sort presents for wrapping and start setting up the house for decorating.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Spirit
I chose napping over blogging yesterday, sorry. The nap was good though.
Just over a week left 'til Christmas. . .still need to do a small amount of scrambling for a gift or two for the kids, and figure out a way to squeeze some monetary blood from stones to get Denise something too. I'm not letting the holiday stress me out, however. In fact, I'm conducting a power-of-positive-thinking optimism experiment on myself this week: wish me well. That is an order.
It's Christmastime and optimism is a little bit harder this year. Who wants Christmas cards?
Just over a week left 'til Christmas. . .still need to do a small amount of scrambling for a gift or two for the kids, and figure out a way to squeeze some monetary blood from stones to get Denise something too. I'm not letting the holiday stress me out, however. In fact, I'm conducting a power-of-positive-thinking optimism experiment on myself this week: wish me well. That is an order.
It's Christmastime and optimism is a little bit harder this year. Who wants Christmas cards?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The Dark Knight
Oh, I finally watched Dark Knight yesterday. I was a person who enjoyed Heath Ledger as much as he needed enjoying; he was capable, competent and a lot more entertaining that some other actors who get a lot of work themselves (ADJ knows exactly who Mr and Mrs Wooden Person are that I am referring to, and though continent separates us we'll be actively not watching their latest outing together). But seriously, everyone that salivated so hard over this, has enough time passed where you can now re-watch the movie with more of an objective mind? Because I'm going to begin my review by pissing a lot of you off: I think Ledger played a fairly passable Jack Nicholson. Yep. Many of my peers felt the Two-Face stuff was too unnecessary; myself, I found that with the plot they'd crafted, everything they'd done with him actually made sense and was necessary--he's my least gripe, if at all. We'll skip the voice acting badness (Batman growls, grr! Alfred speaks Cockney like an over-aged Oliver) and move on to my very biggest problem: the plot. For a guy whose only goal was to make the world see and live the reality of chaos, the Joker sure was written to be a highly structured planner and servant of order. Every one of his moves were calculated and plotted many steps ahead, counter to his entire message. It made me want to reach through the screen and slap him and Christopher Nolan. It really begged a line from someone (Freeman? Caine?) pointing this massive plot inconsistency as a point of irony against the Joker's character to save the wntire conceit, but that would be expecting too much.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Meet Joe Black
A couple of memes via Aimee:
#1.
Put an "X" in the bubble for the ones you've done.
() Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school
(X) Watched someone die
(X) Had your heart broken
() Been to Canada
() Been to Europe
() Been to Mexico
() Been to Florida
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been on a cruise
(X) Been lost
() Been on the opposite side of the country
() Gone to Washington, DC
(X) Swam in the Pacific Ocean
() Swam in the Atlantic Ocean
() Swam in the Gulf of Mexico
() Seen Mt. Ranier (Washington state)
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robber or cowboys and Indians
(X) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only?
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made prank phone calls
(X) Laughed until your face hurt
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose -
() Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Danced your heart out
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
() Gone ice-skating
(X) Been skinny dipping outdoors
(X) Gone to the movies
(X) Sat outside in the rain
(X) Lived one of your dreams
#2.
1. Any nickname? Ev
2. Mother's name? Karen
3. Favorite drink? Dr. Pepper, Vanilla Chai Tea
4. Any tattoos? Yes, a few
5. Body Piercings? Yes
6. What animal would you be if you could choose one? I like being human too much that I can't even come up with an honest answer to this. Being able to fly or breathe under water would be nice.
7. Birthplace? California
8. Favorite vacation spot? Pismo Beach, CA
9. Ever been to Africa ? Nope
10. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Not that I can recall.
11. Ever been on TV? Yeah
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? No
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Both
15. Favorite brand of body wash? I'm happy with bar soap
16. Favorite TV show? Scrubs, Pushing Daisies
17. Favorite number? 3
18. Favorite movie? Wow. . .this week it's Once again, next week? . . .
19. Favorite holiday? Samhain
20. Favorite dessert? I'm rediscovering a love of pie.
21. Is mysteriously missing...
22. Favorite day of the week? Sunday (Favorite night of the week? Saturday).
23. Name something/someone you love? Rael
24. Favorite toothpaste? I like the Tom's Natural cinnamon stuff
25. Favorite smell? Sea air.
26. How do you relax? Song
27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Who knows, I certainly don't
28. When was the last time you belly laughed? Never. . . ?
#1.
Put an "X" in the bubble for the ones you've done.
() Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school
(X) Watched someone die
(X) Had your heart broken
() Been to Canada
() Been to Europe
() Been to Mexico
() Been to Florida
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been on a cruise
(X) Been lost
() Been on the opposite side of the country
() Gone to Washington, DC
(X) Swam in the Pacific Ocean
() Swam in the Atlantic Ocean
() Swam in the Gulf of Mexico
() Seen Mt. Ranier (Washington state)
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robber or cowboys and Indians
(X) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only?
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made prank phone calls
(X) Laughed until your face hurt
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose -
() Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Danced your heart out
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
() Gone ice-skating
(X) Been skinny dipping outdoors
(X) Gone to the movies
(X) Sat outside in the rain
(X) Lived one of your dreams
#2.
1. Any nickname? Ev
2. Mother's name? Karen
3. Favorite drink? Dr. Pepper, Vanilla Chai Tea
4. Any tattoos? Yes, a few
5. Body Piercings? Yes
6. What animal would you be if you could choose one? I like being human too much that I can't even come up with an honest answer to this. Being able to fly or breathe under water would be nice.
7. Birthplace? California
8. Favorite vacation spot? Pismo Beach, CA
9. Ever been to Africa ? Nope
10. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Not that I can recall.
11. Ever been on TV? Yeah
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? No
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Both
15. Favorite brand of body wash? I'm happy with bar soap
16. Favorite TV show? Scrubs, Pushing Daisies
17. Favorite number? 3
18. Favorite movie? Wow. . .this week it's Once again, next week? . . .
19. Favorite holiday? Samhain
20. Favorite dessert? I'm rediscovering a love of pie.
21. Is mysteriously missing...
22. Favorite day of the week? Sunday (Favorite night of the week? Saturday).
23. Name something/someone you love? Rael
24. Favorite toothpaste? I like the Tom's Natural cinnamon stuff
25. Favorite smell? Sea air.
26. How do you relax? Song
27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Who knows, I certainly don't
28. When was the last time you belly laughed? Never. . . ?
Everyday People
Yesterday I posted that Pushing Daisies would end without an allowance for an ending that somewhat actually wraps the show. Today Jason has posted new news somewhat updating that post from "no wrap-up" to "somewhat hurried and sucky wrap-up." I want a wrap-up, but choosing between sucky and none isn't fun. I almost wish this week's episode had been the end. Not tidy, but closure and new possibilities both occur, which could have provided us with a Very Veronica Mars Ending.
Tribal council for Survivor last night entertained me muchly. Similar to my Amazing Race post, my first round pick is still hanging in there, but will she make it to the end and win? Nah.
A lot of my silence this year has just been a mounting sense of gloom, that grew more than not with many passing days (that's right, I go with the abrupt subject change now instead of working in a transition; we'll blame it on post modernism) and my desire to not write myself as an overly whiney whinerson. In all that, I've had a lot of friends put themselves out there/here for me. Some of them ended up being more talk than not, but I don't hate them for it, I get that "If there's anything you need" and "I'm here for you" are actually canned responses we give when we're expected. So shrug. Some of them/you, though, really were there for me, so thanks. I love you guys for it.
Am I the only person who think it would actually be better for the motor industry if the government doesn't directly bail them out? Rather, the money could be set aside to redeem vouchers given to lower and middle class Americans to purchase brand new cars only from the motor companies in trouble: it would help the motor companies, stimulate the economy and help to replace old, less ecofriendly cars with newer enviro-friendly(er) vehicles. This thought was the adaptation of my recent "instead of bailing out the rich again, why not use that money to forgive every student loan and free those kids up to spend their money on the economy instead of on bills." I love imagining I'm not so naive that I can just fix the economy if I were given the power.
Tribal council for Survivor last night entertained me muchly. Similar to my Amazing Race post, my first round pick is still hanging in there, but will she make it to the end and win? Nah.
A lot of my silence this year has just been a mounting sense of gloom, that grew more than not with many passing days (that's right, I go with the abrupt subject change now instead of working in a transition; we'll blame it on post modernism) and my desire to not write myself as an overly whiney whinerson. In all that, I've had a lot of friends put themselves out there/here for me. Some of them ended up being more talk than not, but I don't hate them for it, I get that "If there's anything you need" and "I'm here for you" are actually canned responses we give when we're expected. So shrug. Some of them/you, though, really were there for me, so thanks. I love you guys for it.
Am I the only person who think it would actually be better for the motor industry if the government doesn't directly bail them out? Rather, the money could be set aside to redeem vouchers given to lower and middle class Americans to purchase brand new cars only from the motor companies in trouble: it would help the motor companies, stimulate the economy and help to replace old, less ecofriendly cars with newer enviro-friendly(er) vehicles. This thought was the adaptation of my recent "instead of bailing out the rich again, why not use that money to forgive every student loan and free those kids up to spend their money on the economy instead of on bills." I love imagining I'm not so naive that I can just fix the economy if I were given the power.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Videodrome
Time for a little bit of lighter-heartedness, and a post on what I've been watching and what I've been thinking of it.
Starting with canceled tv, we had the series finale of Boston Legal this past Tuesday. This was always such a pleasure to watch--the best of all David E. Kelley's shows. It was full of wit, entertaining plots, sly references to itself as a tv show (it often would off-handedly find ways to break the 4th wall without breaking the 4th wall outright). There is no other (or was now) show on network tv that showcases a large cast of over-50-somethings, main characters with "imperfections" like autism, alzheimer's, overt social commentary, often on both sides of the fence. And the series ends with a same sex marriage of two main characters. It's also a minor amusement to note that Shatner has been on more episodes of this program than TJ Hooker or Star Trek, but of course he will ever remain Captain Kirk. Which is a little sad as I think his portrayal of Denny Crane is perhaps the best work he's done ever. Now that the series is over, I'd urge anyone to go out and rent a couple seasons, immerse and enjoy (start with season 2, after Shatner's arrival and the departure of the last cast members from The Practice).
This week's Pushing Daisies was pure gold, and bums me out more that not only is the series being canceled, but that it won't be able to produce a finale that is even able to try wrapping the series up in any way whatsoever. Not to detract from her previous musical numbers (her "Birdhouse in Your Soul" was great), but Kristen Chenowith's musical number for the Bangles' "Eternal Flame" had to have been the best performed, and the best integrated into story, musical number of all thus far. I'm gonna miss that break-into-song-ever-pining-after-Pie-Maker-Ned-former-jockey-now-waitress more than ever. This episode also had a cameo by a character from Brian Fuller's previous canceled gem, Wonderfalls, which was also pure gold. Sigh.
Nothing else is all that compelling. The team I wanted to see win from the first episode of this Amazing Race did in fact win (not since Survivor season 1 have I rooted for the winner from the get-go, my picks usually make it far and then get ousted), congrats to the winners there, but really even more praiseworthy, who would have ever predicted the fratboys Dandrew to make it as far as they did at all. That was, pun intended, an amazing feat. The other shows I watch, for the most part, are habits or train wrecks I can't pull myself away from.
On the movie front, while I love horror movies, there's a special place in my horror fandom section of my heart for animals as monsters movies because animals are so much more real than zombies and werewolves (seriously, who's still afraid of sharks thanks to Jaws vs. who's afraid to go camping because a hockey mask wearing maniac might get them? Anyone depriving themselves of sleep over Freddy these days?). This week I saw the Wes Craven produced film The Breed and it was definitely not a wonderfully scripted movie at all. But really, at the root of it all, those visuals of dogs chasing people, attacking and tearing apart people. . .those will resonate far longer than the latest cardboard cut-out monster. It's just 80-some minutes of your life AND if you have XBox Live set up with your Netflix, you can just watch it for free via your XBox (which is what I did). It makes for a nice descendant of Cujo.
Starting with canceled tv, we had the series finale of Boston Legal this past Tuesday. This was always such a pleasure to watch--the best of all David E. Kelley's shows. It was full of wit, entertaining plots, sly references to itself as a tv show (it often would off-handedly find ways to break the 4th wall without breaking the 4th wall outright). There is no other (or was now) show on network tv that showcases a large cast of over-50-somethings, main characters with "imperfections" like autism, alzheimer's, overt social commentary, often on both sides of the fence. And the series ends with a same sex marriage of two main characters. It's also a minor amusement to note that Shatner has been on more episodes of this program than TJ Hooker or Star Trek, but of course he will ever remain Captain Kirk. Which is a little sad as I think his portrayal of Denny Crane is perhaps the best work he's done ever. Now that the series is over, I'd urge anyone to go out and rent a couple seasons, immerse and enjoy (start with season 2, after Shatner's arrival and the departure of the last cast members from The Practice).
This week's Pushing Daisies was pure gold, and bums me out more that not only is the series being canceled, but that it won't be able to produce a finale that is even able to try wrapping the series up in any way whatsoever. Not to detract from her previous musical numbers (her "Birdhouse in Your Soul" was great), but Kristen Chenowith's musical number for the Bangles' "Eternal Flame" had to have been the best performed, and the best integrated into story, musical number of all thus far. I'm gonna miss that break-into-song-ever-pining-after-Pie-Maker-Ned-former-jockey-now-waitress more than ever. This episode also had a cameo by a character from Brian Fuller's previous canceled gem, Wonderfalls, which was also pure gold. Sigh.
Nothing else is all that compelling. The team I wanted to see win from the first episode of this Amazing Race did in fact win (not since Survivor season 1 have I rooted for the winner from the get-go, my picks usually make it far and then get ousted), congrats to the winners there, but really even more praiseworthy, who would have ever predicted the fratboys Dandrew to make it as far as they did at all. That was, pun intended, an amazing feat. The other shows I watch, for the most part, are habits or train wrecks I can't pull myself away from.
On the movie front, while I love horror movies, there's a special place in my horror fandom section of my heart for animals as monsters movies because animals are so much more real than zombies and werewolves (seriously, who's still afraid of sharks thanks to Jaws vs. who's afraid to go camping because a hockey mask wearing maniac might get them? Anyone depriving themselves of sleep over Freddy these days?). This week I saw the Wes Craven produced film The Breed and it was definitely not a wonderfully scripted movie at all. But really, at the root of it all, those visuals of dogs chasing people, attacking and tearing apart people. . .those will resonate far longer than the latest cardboard cut-out monster. It's just 80-some minutes of your life AND if you have XBox Live set up with your Netflix, you can just watch it for free via your XBox (which is what I did). It makes for a nice descendant of Cujo.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Parenthood
Apparently this blog post from another blogger is already fairly viral, but I've only heard of it & read it for the first time today, and feel compelled to share it, as it's well written and speaks to issues I've cared about as well, human rights issues I think we all should care about.
An excerpt (linked):
If you have ever used words like “sacred institution” or “redefine marriage” or “threat to family values” without irony or—worse yet—harbored thoughts or cast votes against marriage equality, you are not my friend. You are not welcome in my life. I honestly see you as intellectually compromised. And I don’t care what you think your god tells you to believe. Your mythology does not trump my reality."
Thanks for allowing me the indulgence.
An excerpt (linked):
If you have ever used words like “sacred institution” or “redefine marriage” or “threat to family values” without irony or—worse yet—harbored thoughts or cast votes against marriage equality, you are not my friend. You are not welcome in my life. I honestly see you as intellectually compromised. And I don’t care what you think your god tells you to believe. Your mythology does not trump my reality."
Thanks for allowing me the indulgence.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
rec
Got some news today that has me more than a good deal angered, but I can't really say anything here. So, in lieu of silent fuming, a boring meme:
1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times:
Only one movie? The Empire Strikes Back
2. Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in a theatre:
Only one? Ok again. There are actually only 3-4 movies I've seen more than once in the theatre. Shaun of the Dead
3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie:
Ewan MacGregor
4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie:
Keanu Reeves
5. Name a movie that you can quote from:
Big Lebowski
6. Name a movie musical that you know all the lyrics to all the songs:
Across the Universe
7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with:
Moulin Rouge.
8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see:
My Life Without Me or Once; I can't pick just one here.
9. Name a movie that you own:
My very most recent purchase is 300
10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops:
Mark Whalberg (Say hi to your mother for me)
11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in?
Yup.
12. Ever made out in a movie?
Yup.
13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven't gotten around to it:
Schindler's List
14. Ever walked out of a movie?
Yes.
15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theatre:
Hook lol.
16. Popcorn?
Most of the time.
17. How often do you go to the movies?
Every couple months I'll have jags of going 2-3 times, then I wont go for months.
18. What's the last movie you saw in the theater?
Um. . .I think Iron Man.
19. What is your favorite/preferred genre of movie?
I honestly don't think I have one, but I have a special place in my heart for musicals, horror and drama.
20. What was the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
The original Star Wars
1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times:
Only one movie? The Empire Strikes Back
2. Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in a theatre:
Only one? Ok again. There are actually only 3-4 movies I've seen more than once in the theatre. Shaun of the Dead
3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie:
Ewan MacGregor
4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie:
Keanu Reeves
5. Name a movie that you can quote from:
Big Lebowski
6. Name a movie musical that you know all the lyrics to all the songs:
Across the Universe
7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with:
Moulin Rouge.
8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see:
My Life Without Me or Once; I can't pick just one here.
9. Name a movie that you own:
My very most recent purchase is 300
10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops:
Mark Whalberg (Say hi to your mother for me)
11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in?
Yup.
12. Ever made out in a movie?
Yup.
13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven't gotten around to it:
Schindler's List
14. Ever walked out of a movie?
Yes.
15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theatre:
Hook lol.
16. Popcorn?
Most of the time.
17. How often do you go to the movies?
Every couple months I'll have jags of going 2-3 times, then I wont go for months.
18. What's the last movie you saw in the theater?
Um. . .I think Iron Man.
19. What is your favorite/preferred genre of movie?
I honestly don't think I have one, but I have a special place in my heart for musicals, horror and drama.
20. What was the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
The original Star Wars
Monday, December 08, 2008
Any Given Sunday
Yeah, I neglected posting yesterday. As it stands, as an amendment to my previous declaration of needing to do daily posts. My Sundays are usually a pretty big drain on my creative muscles as it is, so I think Sunday will be the day I skip blogging the most often. Every other day though, hold me to it folks.
So, wishing a very Happy Birthday to Aimee's little man, Cameron!
Nerdgaming went fairly well this week. I actually succeeded in writing out more plans than were necessary, leaving me pre-prepared for the next session, as they (in a good way) dawdled their way through part one of the two parts I had planned out. And an npc cameo by my old Elmer Fudd voiced gnomish wizard added to the enjoyment as I set the group out on the first stages of their next, and likely last, adventure.
I'm having a bit of difficulty fully waking up today. I'm wondering if my old fatigue problems are returning. I also need to get my annual oncology appointment scheduled. I'm already a little over a month late doing it. It still blows my mind a little that my surgery was only three and a half years ago. What blows my mind more? In fewer years than that, my Lash will be a teenager. I am getting old.
So, wishing a very Happy Birthday to Aimee's little man, Cameron!
Nerdgaming went fairly well this week. I actually succeeded in writing out more plans than were necessary, leaving me pre-prepared for the next session, as they (in a good way) dawdled their way through part one of the two parts I had planned out. And an npc cameo by my old Elmer Fudd voiced gnomish wizard added to the enjoyment as I set the group out on the first stages of their next, and likely last, adventure.
I'm having a bit of difficulty fully waking up today. I'm wondering if my old fatigue problems are returning. I also need to get my annual oncology appointment scheduled. I'm already a little over a month late doing it. It still blows my mind a little that my surgery was only three and a half years ago. What blows my mind more? In fewer years than that, my Lash will be a teenager. I am getting old.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Dungeons and Dragons
I've been very lazy with my gaming group this past year, "winging" almost every game session with minimal notes, if any (not that I'm not an expert at winging it; they've enjoyed a fully emotionally and intellectually engaging campaign thus far). Now, though, that they enter penultimate act (most likely anyway) of this campaign, I find it's necessary that I not wing it. It's time for a great amount of structure, which is often both my least and most enjoyable aspects of campaign-making, adventure planning, world-building. Face it, when you've as much practice and success at winging it, it's sometimes more daunting to go back to not winging it (that ADJ's gaming group has a gigantic player-made bible to follow for their home campaign leaves me in awe. Of course, I also lack the long-term full-on commitment to fellowship and gameplay as a group that she has, which I'm sure must help. Too many of my group seem to "show up" to games only when the fancy meets them, or when there isn't a football game, or whatever. They're my friends, beloved all, but it can still be really fucking frustrating to craft a campaign that includes plans for all, only to have a key player decide they'd rather spend the second, third and fifth months lerning to knit. This is actually my primary reason for winging it as much as I do: not enough commitment.).
I find myself now, the group mostly consistent and committed, if ultimately small in numbers, sending them on the brink of a stage in the campaign I did plan as possible, but never really expected to find them moving to do: an act of planar exploration and attempted deicide that, regardless of the outcome, will vastly effect the tenor of my game for the remainder of the campaign, and for all of those that follow.
So I find myself today with a rare Saturday off, a wall of books surrounding me, and a need to plan. . .
Let the nerdcore rise up. . .
I find myself now, the group mostly consistent and committed, if ultimately small in numbers, sending them on the brink of a stage in the campaign I did plan as possible, but never really expected to find them moving to do: an act of planar exploration and attempted deicide that, regardless of the outcome, will vastly effect the tenor of my game for the remainder of the campaign, and for all of those that follow.
So I find myself today with a rare Saturday off, a wall of books surrounding me, and a need to plan. . .
Let the nerdcore rise up. . .
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