Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Adj,
Happy birthday to you!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
UHF
Now that the first week of new tv has passed, I'll share my thoughts on some of it.
Last night I find myself watching the start of The Amazing Race (a reality show that Adj put me on, and I put Denise on) live as it was recording (LIVE? What was I thinking? In this land of DVRs I never watch live tv anymore). I figured it'd be a nice cap to the night and I could be in bed at nine for my 4am shift. Then 9pm rolls around and the show's still going. Why, oh why did I miss that the season premiere was two hours? As I mentioned in my previous post, OCD qualities require I finish (I would have literally tossed and turned in bed longer than one more hour if I'd gone to bed vowing to watch the rest tomorrow) and so I was up 'til 10 watching tv instead. Anyway. So far the gay brothers entertain me most (especially as they are so very flaming and think they aren't, which plays into a strategy of theirs I can't wait to see play out or backfire), so I'm pushing for them, but the father/son duo with the pink haired son are a close second.
House. Just wow, I didn't think this show could get more boring to me and this Houseified mock up of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest so totally proved me wrong. It was nice to see Franka Potente in any role again. The second time in a week something made me really want to watch Lola Rennt (aka Run Lola Run) again (oddly, not so much that first Bourne movie).
Blink and you'll miss it, but Ray Park is now on Heroes as one of this season's potential villains and in that rare beast for him--a speaking role! I enjoyed his martial artist, dervish style speedster (duh, my speedster weakness shows, I know) just enough to make me think that Heroes is trying to convince me it can be good again. I'm not quite holding my breath yet. This is the first time I've liked every new character to be introduced, even if the old cast grow more and more stale (kill some of them off for real already).
Dollhouse is by far the biggest favorite of my returning shows thus far. I continue to love the way it so effortlessly delves into the grayest areas of morality: this time out with Ballard cashing in his morals about the Dollhouse in order to use the Dollhouse to his own needs, and Langton wanting to establish a romantic relationship with Whiskey, knowing she is just another Active. But more than anything else, what I really loved in the premiere is the interplay between Whiskey and Topher, and how this interplay began to seriously explore questions of existentialism that perhaps only this show ever can. I'm left with so much more thoughts on questions of identity construction and the existence of soul after watching this episode, and I am appreciative. People who gave up on this show 3-4 episodes in and declare it Whedon's worst really are idiots at a fundamental level and I'm not afraid of insulting them so. My only gripes--that Echo's own moments of self-awareness weren't as poignant as Whiskey's, and My Darling Wesley's fake English accent has gone missing now that he's playing a U.S. Senator (shut up, logic plays nothing into this last point).
Survivor: Samoa, and it's repeat strategic oustings of the better, "dangerous" cast members is proving more compelling to me than this show has since before the addition of silly things like Exile Island and hidden immunity idols. That Russell character is definitely one of those love-to-hate players and is driving the show in ways I haven't seen since Richard Hatch.
Fringe. I'm having more difficulty jumping back into loving this. It's a process. More Pacey and less blond chick. And much much more Walter. Denise and I were both commenting on how much more we prefer the "monster of the week" style episodes over the "mythology" episodes--just like X-Files. This led me to wishing Duchovny and Anderson someday make a guest appearance as rival FBI agents to our regular cast, as a tongue-in-cheek homage.
New shows that haven't lost me after the first episode: Community, Modern Family and Cougar Town (Cougar really surprises me; I gave it a shot only due to its being created by Bill Lawrence, you know the guy who created my favorite American comedy, Scrubs, but I really expected my dislike of Courtney Cox' post-Friends work, including her time on Scrubs, had me expecting I would probably hate this. Instead, of the three comedies listed here, it's the one I like the absolute best). I also have definitely fallen in love with Flash Forward already and want much more, even if its gimmick seems impossible to sustain multi-seasonally, like Prisonbreak. New shows that have lost me after episode one: (sorry Ian Somerhader), The Vampire DiariesEastwick, and. . .something else, but it had to have been so dull I really can't grasp at its title at the moment.
What shows am I missing? And who else is antsy for the start of the V remake?
I think Dollhouse and Flash Forward are going to do a lot of work, good work, at distracting me from waiting 'til February for the beginning of the last season of Lost.
Last night I find myself watching the start of The Amazing Race (a reality show that Adj put me on, and I put Denise on) live as it was recording (LIVE? What was I thinking? In this land of DVRs I never watch live tv anymore). I figured it'd be a nice cap to the night and I could be in bed at nine for my 4am shift. Then 9pm rolls around and the show's still going. Why, oh why did I miss that the season premiere was two hours? As I mentioned in my previous post, OCD qualities require I finish (I would have literally tossed and turned in bed longer than one more hour if I'd gone to bed vowing to watch the rest tomorrow) and so I was up 'til 10 watching tv instead. Anyway. So far the gay brothers entertain me most (especially as they are so very flaming and think they aren't, which plays into a strategy of theirs I can't wait to see play out or backfire), so I'm pushing for them, but the father/son duo with the pink haired son are a close second.
House. Just wow, I didn't think this show could get more boring to me and this Houseified mock up of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest so totally proved me wrong. It was nice to see Franka Potente in any role again. The second time in a week something made me really want to watch Lola Rennt (aka Run Lola Run) again (oddly, not so much that first Bourne movie).
Blink and you'll miss it, but Ray Park is now on Heroes as one of this season's potential villains and in that rare beast for him--a speaking role! I enjoyed his martial artist, dervish style speedster (duh, my speedster weakness shows, I know) just enough to make me think that Heroes is trying to convince me it can be good again. I'm not quite holding my breath yet. This is the first time I've liked every new character to be introduced, even if the old cast grow more and more stale (kill some of them off for real already).
Dollhouse is by far the biggest favorite of my returning shows thus far. I continue to love the way it so effortlessly delves into the grayest areas of morality: this time out with Ballard cashing in his morals about the Dollhouse in order to use the Dollhouse to his own needs, and Langton wanting to establish a romantic relationship with Whiskey, knowing she is just another Active. But more than anything else, what I really loved in the premiere is the interplay between Whiskey and Topher, and how this interplay began to seriously explore questions of existentialism that perhaps only this show ever can. I'm left with so much more thoughts on questions of identity construction and the existence of soul after watching this episode, and I am appreciative. People who gave up on this show 3-4 episodes in and declare it Whedon's worst really are idiots at a fundamental level and I'm not afraid of insulting them so. My only gripes--that Echo's own moments of self-awareness weren't as poignant as Whiskey's, and My Darling Wesley's fake English accent has gone missing now that he's playing a U.S. Senator (shut up, logic plays nothing into this last point).
Survivor: Samoa, and it's repeat strategic oustings of the better, "dangerous" cast members is proving more compelling to me than this show has since before the addition of silly things like Exile Island and hidden immunity idols. That Russell character is definitely one of those love-to-hate players and is driving the show in ways I haven't seen since Richard Hatch.
Fringe. I'm having more difficulty jumping back into loving this. It's a process. More Pacey and less blond chick. And much much more Walter. Denise and I were both commenting on how much more we prefer the "monster of the week" style episodes over the "mythology" episodes--just like X-Files. This led me to wishing Duchovny and Anderson someday make a guest appearance as rival FBI agents to our regular cast, as a tongue-in-cheek homage.
New shows that haven't lost me after the first episode: Community, Modern Family and Cougar Town (Cougar really surprises me; I gave it a shot only due to its being created by Bill Lawrence, you know the guy who created my favorite American comedy, Scrubs, but I really expected my dislike of Courtney Cox' post-Friends work, including her time on Scrubs, had me expecting I would probably hate this. Instead, of the three comedies listed here, it's the one I like the absolute best). I also have definitely fallen in love with Flash Forward already and want much more, even if its gimmick seems impossible to sustain multi-seasonally, like Prisonbreak. New shows that have lost me after episode one: (sorry Ian Somerhader), The Vampire DiariesEastwick, and. . .something else, but it had to have been so dull I really can't grasp at its title at the moment.
What shows am I missing? And who else is antsy for the start of the V remake?
I think Dollhouse and Flash Forward are going to do a lot of work, good work, at distracting me from waiting 'til February for the beginning of the last season of Lost.
Bullseye
The last year or so has seen me grow into a less enthusiastic or dedicated reader. Between life in general, paying more attention to kids spouse and friends, video games, wasting more time online, whatever. . .I'm just not setting down as much to give myself a good amount of reading time. Typically I now take 2-3 weeks to read a book I'd normally finish in 1-2 days, and that's for books I'm finding myself enjoying (this reminds me I need to ask Chris if he's done with that Gaiman book so I can forward it to Micah). Right now I find myself struggling through the morass that is Charlaine Harris' book series on her character Sookie Stackhouse (the basis for HBO's True Blood series); I'm midway through week three and barely a quarter in to the second book (I stopped reading the first book when I figured out the mystery/killer's identity on page 56 and skipped to book two) and it's just not doing it for me. . .but my OCD need to finish it is keeping me from starting anything else. Argh. I don't see what Denise, Chrissy and Lynn see in these books but if I ever can get through this, I need to remind myself not to start book three (unless, that is, my enjoyment skyrockets between now and the end of book two). I need to start that other Gaiman book and finish off the last two books of Laurell K Hamilton's that I've been avoiding starting.
I'm curious to hear--if you're a fan, what's the appeal for you? Something's missing the mark for me and I'm curious to see what makes it a bullseye for others.
I'm curious to hear--if you're a fan, what's the appeal for you? Something's missing the mark for me and I'm curious to see what makes it a bullseye for others.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Low
Lately I feel as if my friends don't care to pay attention to my availability to them at all. When I'm approached with the request for what days work makes me available for any evening fun and I respond, the typical response is to then have a day completely not available to me chosen where they expect Denise to still come and it to be OK leaving me out. It makes me feel less wanted and much more like my presence really doesn't matter as long as the person they really want, Denise, can be there. It makes me feel like the only reason I'm asked is so they can be sure to make plans on days I'm not available instead of out of any legitimate request for planning any fellowship with me. This bums me out more than words can describe and it makes me not want to even answer any more when I'm asked about when I'm available any more.
Of course if I just ignore the question I also somehow turn into the asshole in this equation.
And I don't feel as if there's a "win" in this situation coming. Talking about it is bound to lead off to pissed off people and more hurt feelings. Silence just continues a cycle of activity that's been bothering me to the extreme more and more for many weeks now.
Of course if I just ignore the question I also somehow turn into the asshole in this equation.
And I don't feel as if there's a "win" in this situation coming. Talking about it is bound to lead off to pissed off people and more hurt feelings. Silence just continues a cycle of activity that's been bothering me to the extreme more and more for many weeks now.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Breathing Out
There are times where our current situation leaving me uncomfortable with being 100% candid in a public forum really drags on me, most especially when I feel an intense need to vent personal frustrations and don't have a private outlet for doing so. If I'm pissed with Denise I can't vent to her about it, and haven't been venting here. If I'm pissed with a close friend, I likewise can't vent to them. It's very encumbering. I often feel as if I can't honestly be myself anymore, the most mundane aspect of my life a possible object of intense scrutiny and misrepresentation, leaving me with the most banal forms of expression. It's encumbering and on days like today where I really feel great amounts of frustration that I need to vent, it gets to be a little demoralizing and increasingly frustrating.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Hello
So, Evan, how'd that whole meningitis plus mononucleosis thing pan out?
Well, it sucked, mostly. The first week was primarily filled with physical misery. Meningitis wreaked havoc with my immune system hassling me with a massive amount of head congestion and fever, both of which I couldn't take anything to regulate because anything that could regulate it would destroy my liver thanks to the mono. Yay! I spent the first week sleeping sitting up on the couch (the only way I could breathe) in mere fifteen minute increments. The fever I handled by blasting my fan directly on me non-stop and constantly wetting myself down with a cool rag. In all of this, I had a lot of help from the older kids and a little emotional support from my friends. Other than most physical exertions tiring me out, week two was much better--all the horrid symptoms having vacated. Still unable to go out much or work at all, I found myself spending a lot of time watching movies and movies and movies, and a couple seasons of Lost. Videogames gave me equilibrium problems after ten minutes of playing them and I still couldn't exert myself chasing the kids around the house. All-in-all I found myself crouching towards boredlehem. Monday of week three I see my doctor, declare I'm ready to work again. . .he agrees but decides to make me take a third week off anyway--just in case. This third week was much more boring: fewer things to watch, the kids were back in school, and my friends pretty much abandoned hanging out or visiting most days. I mastered thumb-twiddling.
I just finished my first two weeks back to "normal" living. Thankfully, my time off work didn't cost me the nice new schedule change I'd finally been able to wrangle right before I got sick. Having the semi-regular and reliable work schedule has caused things to suck there a little less. Sadly, this meant changing our Rock Band weekend friend gathering from Saturdays to Fridays and some friends have been having a little trouble adjusting slash showing up, but I'm finding the adjustment a nice one and happily living life, enjoying the company of friends and family.
Well, it sucked, mostly. The first week was primarily filled with physical misery. Meningitis wreaked havoc with my immune system hassling me with a massive amount of head congestion and fever, both of which I couldn't take anything to regulate because anything that could regulate it would destroy my liver thanks to the mono. Yay! I spent the first week sleeping sitting up on the couch (the only way I could breathe) in mere fifteen minute increments. The fever I handled by blasting my fan directly on me non-stop and constantly wetting myself down with a cool rag. In all of this, I had a lot of help from the older kids and a little emotional support from my friends. Other than most physical exertions tiring me out, week two was much better--all the horrid symptoms having vacated. Still unable to go out much or work at all, I found myself spending a lot of time watching movies and movies and movies, and a couple seasons of Lost. Videogames gave me equilibrium problems after ten minutes of playing them and I still couldn't exert myself chasing the kids around the house. All-in-all I found myself crouching towards boredlehem. Monday of week three I see my doctor, declare I'm ready to work again. . .he agrees but decides to make me take a third week off anyway--just in case. This third week was much more boring: fewer things to watch, the kids were back in school, and my friends pretty much abandoned hanging out or visiting most days. I mastered thumb-twiddling.
I just finished my first two weeks back to "normal" living. Thankfully, my time off work didn't cost me the nice new schedule change I'd finally been able to wrangle right before I got sick. Having the semi-regular and reliable work schedule has caused things to suck there a little less. Sadly, this meant changing our Rock Band weekend friend gathering from Saturdays to Fridays and some friends have been having a little trouble adjusting slash showing up, but I'm finding the adjustment a nice one and happily living life, enjoying the company of friends and family.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Some Top Tens
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.
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.
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.
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