We got to see Les Miserables this weekend. Let me tell you, as a fan of the stage version, I was very impressed with the movie. Yes, there were plenty of critics who could nitpick things about the movie (Russell Crowe, they were looking mostly at you), but I'm not one of those.
Granted, Russell Crowe is not a Broadway singer. He's a rock singer. And if you don't believe me, go look up his band, The Ordinary Fear of God (they're on iTunes). It wasn't that he was a bad singer, either, it was just a different type of voice than what most people consider the character to have based on performances over the past twenty-five years.
But that's been the beauty of the movie. There have been so many versions of the staged musical, in so many countries that it is open to interpretation. It's not going to be the same in English versus Japanese versus the original French. And that's what the movie was - a different interpretation.
From the opening scene of the movie and their depiction of the hard labor that Jean Valjean is subjected to, the movie pulls you into the story immediately. A foreshadowing of things to come and the freedom given to Valjean. It was almost easier to feel sorry for Valjean after he was paroled as he tried to live his life as a former criminal. There was a wonderful homage to the original London and Broadway versions of the stage musical as the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, showed up as the Bishop that saves Valjean from his own despair.
I could go on and on about various portions of the film and the songs, but I won't. There is something else that I would like to touch on, though. Some people felt that the concept of "live singing" was not the best way to film this movie. That they should have simply lip synched to a track and done the singing in post production. However, I think that since this was based on a staged musical, the live singing was actually a better way to record it. It made the singing feel more natural instead of standard. It allowed the singers to take liberty with the songs and try to bring them to life in their own interpretation.
I will say that Anne Hathaway's performance as Fantine was deserving of the Best Supporting Actress nomination that she received. Even though she is only in the film for a short time, her portrayal of a woman that is simply trying to save her child from death is heart wrenching. I can tell you that there were no dry eyes in the theater as she was singing to a mirage of her daughter.
Though the songs were out of order slightly, it didn't ruin their impact on the story and, in fact, helped move the story along better because of other production decisions. There was also an added song, "Suddenly", that is sung by Jean Valjean after he rescues Cosette from the Thenardier's. It's beautiful and I think that the lyrics hold true (for the most part) to any first time parent. It's a song about discovering just how different life can be with a child. It is the only song that I purchased from the soundtrack because I already have the musical and didn't need another version. But this song is one that I definitely needed.
The story of Les Miserables, at its heart, is about redemption, hope and faith. Jean Valjean is only a criminal out of necessity. It is only when someone finds him and helps him find faith in God and hope for a better future, does he realize that he can be better than what prison had turned him into. In the end, Valjean is able to be at peace with the life that he lived and the life that he provided to the girl that was placed into his care.
For anyone that might have lost faith and hope, I suggest seeing this movie. I also suggest seeing the staged musical, if possible. It's amazing what visuals can be created on such a small stage.
Until next time.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Year In Review
Wait. How can you call it a year in review when only three weeks have passed? Well, technically almost four. This year in review is actually going to be more of a talk about what's coming up this year.
First off, there's going to be a lot of holidays. One every month, really, except for August. Dang August, no wonder no one likes you. I'm sure there will be plenty of birthdays, also. Lots of people will have birthdays this year. Hmmm.....what else will happen?
Well, just this past week I started two classes online. Two classes? Whatever for? I've decided that it is time to waste some money on a useless Master's degree. Just kidding. I'm not wasting money nor is this degree useless. For almost twenty years I have been involved in Educational Technology in some form or other. Most of that was spent in San Diego though, coincidentally, when we moved from San Diego to Rancho Cucmaonga, I managed to stay in the education realm, continuing to support technology.
I knew that a degree in Educational Technology was something that I wanted for a long time, however, with various bills to pay and money to save, I wasn't able to fulfill that dream. That has changed thanks to my job at Loma Linda. The administration there are very supportive and would constantly ask me if I wanted to further my education. After being asked several times, I mentioned that I did but was not ready financially. They casually reminded me that as an employee I receive a benefit of tuition reimbursement every year. Yes, I have to pay up front but am then reimbursed at the end of each fiscal year. That was definitely good to know.
With that in mind, I simply had to find a program. After a lot of research, emails and phone calls, I discovered the Master's in Educational Technology at Boise State University. The program is entirely online and I never have to go there unless I want to walk at graduation. I think the program is going to really help me with my own job and provide me with information and resources that will be effective for years to come.
Don't be surprised, then, if there happens to be a blog about my classes or if I link to some of my work. Also, watch my Twitter feed as there could be updates for my classes as well (just warning you in case you happen to look and don't understand something that gets posted).
But that's not all this year will hold. As you know, I am still trying to become a published author. I still have my one novel that is being read by a couple of other people and I have hope that another story of mine will begin to mature and finish sometime this year.
There are also plenty of movies coming out this year that are on my list to see. However, since I have a child, it might be hard to see them in any appropriate time and I might just have to rent them eventually to see them, but I will see them. Look for reviews as I'm able to write them. I think that March might mark another month of 31 posts in 31 days but don't hold me to that just yet. Plus other random blog posts about the most mundane (to most people) topics and book reviews on books that I choose to review.
The year may have just begun but I'm already behind on Christmas shopping and Christmas cards. I think I'll make it easy this year and just make a blog post when the time comes. Who knows what the rest of the year might hold but it's going to be fun.
Until next time.
First off, there's going to be a lot of holidays. One every month, really, except for August. Dang August, no wonder no one likes you. I'm sure there will be plenty of birthdays, also. Lots of people will have birthdays this year. Hmmm.....what else will happen?
Well, just this past week I started two classes online. Two classes? Whatever for? I've decided that it is time to waste some money on a useless Master's degree. Just kidding. I'm not wasting money nor is this degree useless. For almost twenty years I have been involved in Educational Technology in some form or other. Most of that was spent in San Diego though, coincidentally, when we moved from San Diego to Rancho Cucmaonga, I managed to stay in the education realm, continuing to support technology.
I knew that a degree in Educational Technology was something that I wanted for a long time, however, with various bills to pay and money to save, I wasn't able to fulfill that dream. That has changed thanks to my job at Loma Linda. The administration there are very supportive and would constantly ask me if I wanted to further my education. After being asked several times, I mentioned that I did but was not ready financially. They casually reminded me that as an employee I receive a benefit of tuition reimbursement every year. Yes, I have to pay up front but am then reimbursed at the end of each fiscal year. That was definitely good to know.
With that in mind, I simply had to find a program. After a lot of research, emails and phone calls, I discovered the Master's in Educational Technology at Boise State University. The program is entirely online and I never have to go there unless I want to walk at graduation. I think the program is going to really help me with my own job and provide me with information and resources that will be effective for years to come.
Don't be surprised, then, if there happens to be a blog about my classes or if I link to some of my work. Also, watch my Twitter feed as there could be updates for my classes as well (just warning you in case you happen to look and don't understand something that gets posted).
But that's not all this year will hold. As you know, I am still trying to become a published author. I still have my one novel that is being read by a couple of other people and I have hope that another story of mine will begin to mature and finish sometime this year.
There are also plenty of movies coming out this year that are on my list to see. However, since I have a child, it might be hard to see them in any appropriate time and I might just have to rent them eventually to see them, but I will see them. Look for reviews as I'm able to write them. I think that March might mark another month of 31 posts in 31 days but don't hold me to that just yet. Plus other random blog posts about the most mundane (to most people) topics and book reviews on books that I choose to review.
The year may have just begun but I'm already behind on Christmas shopping and Christmas cards. I think I'll make it easy this year and just make a blog post when the time comes. Who knows what the rest of the year might hold but it's going to be fun.
Until next time.
The Force Is Strong With This One
It has finally happened. Disney and Lucasfilm have officially hired a director for Star Wars VII. Yes, everyone on the Internet knew last night. I even Tweeted about it (go look). However, it became official official just a little while ago.
While some people will complain that there will be too much lens flare blocking anyone from actually flying a ship or talking to someone else on screen . . . or that a random smoke monster manages to kill people for no reason . . . or that there happens to be time travel in a universe where it has not existed . . . tough.
In my opinion, JJ Abrams is the correct choice to direct the new Star Wars film and have a role in any sequels that come after it. If you look at the official statement (linked above), there are comments from three MAJOR contributors to the Star Wars films. Two of them were there at the beginning of Star Wars who have also worked with JJ and one has worked on the prequels (films that shall not be named) and the Clone Wars television show and has worked with JJ. All three praise JJ for his love of the original films and his willingness to keep saga alive.
As much as other people would have preferred a different director, someone along the lines of Joss Whedon or Matthew Vaughn or even Bryan Singer, all three are busy with their own projects. Then you might say, what about Star Trek? JJ has to finish post production on the sequel to that movie that comes out in May. For that matter, so does ILM. In fact, there are a lot of projects that JJ has on his plate at the moment for Paramount (I really read way too much about the entertainment business) and has no desire to let them fall either. But Star Wars is special and JJ is going to treat it with the care that it deserves.
JJ will take the script that is delivered (more than likely already has been) by Michael Arndt and make a few tweaks here and there and then start talking to George and some of the other people behind the scenes. It's going to have to be a quick process and I have a feeling they are going to want to start shooting by the end of the year since Disney is hoping for a summer 2015 release. ILM would need to have almost a year or more to complete the effects that you know this film is going to have.
This is exciting news and I cannot wait to see what JJ will bring to the Star Wars universe. Whatever comes of this decision, I know that Disney / Lucasfilm / JJ all made the right choice. May the Force be with them all.
Until next time.
While some people will complain that there will be too much lens flare blocking anyone from actually flying a ship or talking to someone else on screen . . . or that a random smoke monster manages to kill people for no reason . . . or that there happens to be time travel in a universe where it has not existed . . . tough.
In my opinion, JJ Abrams is the correct choice to direct the new Star Wars film and have a role in any sequels that come after it. If you look at the official statement (linked above), there are comments from three MAJOR contributors to the Star Wars films. Two of them were there at the beginning of Star Wars who have also worked with JJ and one has worked on the prequels (films that shall not be named) and the Clone Wars television show and has worked with JJ. All three praise JJ for his love of the original films and his willingness to keep saga alive.
As much as other people would have preferred a different director, someone along the lines of Joss Whedon or Matthew Vaughn or even Bryan Singer, all three are busy with their own projects. Then you might say, what about Star Trek? JJ has to finish post production on the sequel to that movie that comes out in May. For that matter, so does ILM. In fact, there are a lot of projects that JJ has on his plate at the moment for Paramount (I really read way too much about the entertainment business) and has no desire to let them fall either. But Star Wars is special and JJ is going to treat it with the care that it deserves.
JJ will take the script that is delivered (more than likely already has been) by Michael Arndt and make a few tweaks here and there and then start talking to George and some of the other people behind the scenes. It's going to have to be a quick process and I have a feeling they are going to want to start shooting by the end of the year since Disney is hoping for a summer 2015 release. ILM would need to have almost a year or more to complete the effects that you know this film is going to have.
This is exciting news and I cannot wait to see what JJ will bring to the Star Wars universe. Whatever comes of this decision, I know that Disney / Lucasfilm / JJ all made the right choice. May the Force be with them all.
Until next time.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The Greatest Adventure
Over the weekend I watched The Hobbit. Here's a preview:
Actually, what I saw was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, however, before I talk about that movie, I'm going to talk about the video above. It is a compilation of scenes from a 1977 cartoon version of The Hobbit. That video is what led me like Tolkien and the world of Middle Earth. Of course, when it came out I was three and was too busy learning how to enjoy television and reading let alone trying to read The Hobbit. However, years later when I did finally see it, I did enjoy it immensely. I even have the actual VHS tape that might get a viewing in the near future so Abby could get an early education in Tolkien.
Just as with any adaptation from a novel to television or movie, things get left out or changed. It happened with the current iteration of The Hobbit and it even happened in 1977. When I first heard that Peter Jackson was turning The Hobbit into three films, I had the same reaction as everyone else - why? It's a very short book. It's not even as long as the shortest of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy books. The Two Towers sits at 352 pages versus 320 for The Hobbit. So why would Peter Jackson want to stretch one book into three movies? Money.
But not really.
The producers (and Jackson) state that there was a lot of information that they wanted to add from the various indices of the books as well as expand on information barely glimpsed in The Hobbit. Without seeing the other two films and what they have decided to do, I cannot give a fair review. However, I can review The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Let me start that this movie only serves as yet another example of why I need to travel to New Zealand. Standing in tundra with very, very tall mountains covered with snow in the distance. That just doesn't happen in North America. It's either tundra or snow covered mountains. Not both. Plus lush forests with creeks and rivers and waterfalls. Yes, I know that some of it is CG but I know that the country is vastly beautiful beyond any place that I know.
Secondly, I can agree with a lot of the critics of this movie that it is slow. It takes a good forty to forty-five minutes before Bilbo gets up off his duff and sets off on adventure. However, during the first forty minutes (fifteen or so used for a prologue), you get an idea of the quest of the dwarves. You find out what they are after and why. You see them playful and serious in just a matter of minutes. The song, That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates was not only in this film and the 1977 version, but is in the actual book. Yes, it was adapted but the lyrics still hold the general sense from the book and give characterization to Bilbo as a stuffy hobbit that likes order while the dwarves are the complete opposite.
Once the adventure begins, the movie really starts. There is action, emotion and humor. The humor is properly placed and the group of moviegoers I was with laughed at the appropriate times instead of letting the joke fall flat.
The movie does not have a proper ending, just as The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers did not properly end. I didn't mind that at all, though, as most critics would wonder, why didn't the eagles just take them to The Lonely Mountain in the first place. That's something you can ask Tolkien when you see him. Where it ended felt like a good starting point for the next movie with a general sense of what adventures might lie ahead.
I chose not to see the film in the 48 frame per second version as I was unsure about what it could do to me. I don't get motion sick very often but every now and then I can be affected and I didn't want it to ruin my movie going experience.
I would suggest that anyone that liked the Lord of the Rings trilogy to see this movie and its eventual sequels. It was well done and while it seems slow at the beginning, once Bilbo leaves his home, everyone gets to join in the adventure. As the song would suggest, the greatest adventure is now to begin but we'll have to wait a few years to see how it ends.
Until next time.
Actually, what I saw was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, however, before I talk about that movie, I'm going to talk about the video above. It is a compilation of scenes from a 1977 cartoon version of The Hobbit. That video is what led me like Tolkien and the world of Middle Earth. Of course, when it came out I was three and was too busy learning how to enjoy television and reading let alone trying to read The Hobbit. However, years later when I did finally see it, I did enjoy it immensely. I even have the actual VHS tape that might get a viewing in the near future so Abby could get an early education in Tolkien.
Just as with any adaptation from a novel to television or movie, things get left out or changed. It happened with the current iteration of The Hobbit and it even happened in 1977. When I first heard that Peter Jackson was turning The Hobbit into three films, I had the same reaction as everyone else - why? It's a very short book. It's not even as long as the shortest of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy books. The Two Towers sits at 352 pages versus 320 for The Hobbit. So why would Peter Jackson want to stretch one book into three movies? Money.
But not really.
The producers (and Jackson) state that there was a lot of information that they wanted to add from the various indices of the books as well as expand on information barely glimpsed in The Hobbit. Without seeing the other two films and what they have decided to do, I cannot give a fair review. However, I can review The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Let me start that this movie only serves as yet another example of why I need to travel to New Zealand. Standing in tundra with very, very tall mountains covered with snow in the distance. That just doesn't happen in North America. It's either tundra or snow covered mountains. Not both. Plus lush forests with creeks and rivers and waterfalls. Yes, I know that some of it is CG but I know that the country is vastly beautiful beyond any place that I know.
Secondly, I can agree with a lot of the critics of this movie that it is slow. It takes a good forty to forty-five minutes before Bilbo gets up off his duff and sets off on adventure. However, during the first forty minutes (fifteen or so used for a prologue), you get an idea of the quest of the dwarves. You find out what they are after and why. You see them playful and serious in just a matter of minutes. The song, That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates was not only in this film and the 1977 version, but is in the actual book. Yes, it was adapted but the lyrics still hold the general sense from the book and give characterization to Bilbo as a stuffy hobbit that likes order while the dwarves are the complete opposite.
Once the adventure begins, the movie really starts. There is action, emotion and humor. The humor is properly placed and the group of moviegoers I was with laughed at the appropriate times instead of letting the joke fall flat.
The movie does not have a proper ending, just as The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers did not properly end. I didn't mind that at all, though, as most critics would wonder, why didn't the eagles just take them to The Lonely Mountain in the first place. That's something you can ask Tolkien when you see him. Where it ended felt like a good starting point for the next movie with a general sense of what adventures might lie ahead.
I chose not to see the film in the 48 frame per second version as I was unsure about what it could do to me. I don't get motion sick very often but every now and then I can be affected and I didn't want it to ruin my movie going experience.
I would suggest that anyone that liked the Lord of the Rings trilogy to see this movie and its eventual sequels. It was well done and while it seems slow at the beginning, once Bilbo leaves his home, everyone gets to join in the adventure. As the song would suggest, the greatest adventure is now to begin but we'll have to wait a few years to see how it ends.
Until next time.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I've Got A Golden Ticket
I figured this blog needed a little cheering up after the previous post, so here goes.
I’ve got a golden ticket.
I’ve got a golden twinkle in my eye.
So why am I quoting Willy Wonka? Simple. It’s because I got a golden ticket. Look at the picture below and I shall paused a few seconds.
And while this one (unfortunately) doesn’t come with a lifetime supply of chocolate should I survive the strange and silly factory tour led by Willy Wonka himself, it does protect my phone very well. However, since I don't really care for a lot of chocolate, I wonder if I could just get a lifetime of NERDS. I love NERDS. I don't even need to take over the chocolate factory. I could just let Abby have it.
So how did this come to be? How did I manage to find the golden ticket? Well, I didn't find money in the street and go get a chocolate bar if that's what you're thinking. Remember what I just wrote about not really liking chocolate?
Actually, since I purchased the iPhone 4 a few months ago, I have been wanting to find a very cool case. I've looked at hundreds of cases and I would send Joanna sevreral links to ones that I liked but one never popped out. That is, until I literally found the golden ticket.
I was sitting at home one morning and was looking through a website called Red Bubble. It's a website dedicated to helping artists sell their merchandise. Basically artists will create something and Red Bubble will make posters, postcards, mouse pads, iPhone cases, etc. Well, I just happened to see this one and showed Joanna. We were both immediately taken with the case and I purchased it. The picture above does not do it justice and it will just have to be seen to be believed. As I said, it protects the phone very well, though I do not wish to fully test it's drop capabilities. For now, I'll wander through the factory looking for the Fizzy Lifting Drink and avoiding being chopped to bits by the fan on the ceiling.
Until next time.
Will This Never End?
I didn't expect to have to address something like this again. In fact, I wasn't even sure that I wanted to address it. I've sat in front of my computer for several days now and finally think that I'm ready to say something.
When my daughter got home Friday night I quickly got her out of her car seat and started to hug her. I didn't really want to let go. On a day like that one, I don't think a lot of parents wanted to let go of their children.
In the span of three days there had been two mass shootings with victims both alive and dead. Friday's terrible massacre of children is unexplainable and hard for any parent - any person - to fathom.
On Wednesday, last week, in Portland, someone walked into a mall and started shooting. Friday, a man walked into a school and started shooting. In both cases, both men chose to take their own lives after a considerable amount of chaos. As a Catholic, I was raised to preserve the sanctity of life and that suicide was a sin. However, it is my opinion that if these people wanted to kill themselves, why did they need to take others with them? One less terrible person in the world would be just fine with me, so why did they have to go and wreak tragedy in two separate communities, if not the whole United States?
Reading both stories with journalists attempting to find answers for the tragedies, all I could do was cry. The two people that died in Portland had San Diego connections, with one of them being an alumni of my alma mater, University of San Diego. The other had gone to UCSD. The lives that those people touched are forever changed by their passing. In Connecticut, the lives of those twenty children will never get to have those special moments that the president spoke about in his speech to America. They'll never get to even open the gifts that were probably being wrapped to be placed under the Christmas tree. The six teachers that were killed will no longer be able to encourage future students to live their dreams and hope for the future.
All of these people were living their lives normally never once thinking that Wednesday or Friday would be their last. Innocent children who dreamt of becoming firefighters or astronauts or doctors no longer getting that option. A coach of children no longer being able to teach his players the best part of the game - sportsmanship. A hospice nurse who will never be able to care for others as they reach the end of their own days. And teachers who will no longer help their students with creative projects for the holidays or supervise recess.
I understand that people die every day - sometimes important people or famous people. But in the wake of these shootings and the victims that were taken in such a random act of violence, I have to write what I feel.
When I wrote about the tragedy in Colorado (see the link at the beginning of this post), I wrote about not wanting to give up on my life. I still believe that. And while I know that it will be hard for the people in the Portland suburb and those that work at the Clackamas Mall and those in the small town of Newtown (as well as the rest of the country), over time we will all move on.
As if these stories are not bad enough, over the weekend, in Newport Beach (where we happened to be enjoying a boat tour), at the Fashion Island Mall, a man opened fire in the parking lot. He didn't shoot anyone and didn't even kill himself, but there he was, in the parking lot with a gun. And in Colorado yesterday, yet another murder-suicide was discovered after a man killed his ex-wife and her sister, her sister's husband and then himself.
I just finished listening to a novel called, When Will There Be Good News? Apropos, isn't it? The book had a happy ending but as I listened it seemed as if there were a lot of bad things happening. Sadly, there will be no happy endings for the time being and we will have to live our lives with this madness in our world.
As you read this message today, or whenever, think of your families and your friends and remind them just how much you care about them.
Until next time.
When my daughter got home Friday night I quickly got her out of her car seat and started to hug her. I didn't really want to let go. On a day like that one, I don't think a lot of parents wanted to let go of their children.
In the span of three days there had been two mass shootings with victims both alive and dead. Friday's terrible massacre of children is unexplainable and hard for any parent - any person - to fathom.
On Wednesday, last week, in Portland, someone walked into a mall and started shooting. Friday, a man walked into a school and started shooting. In both cases, both men chose to take their own lives after a considerable amount of chaos. As a Catholic, I was raised to preserve the sanctity of life and that suicide was a sin. However, it is my opinion that if these people wanted to kill themselves, why did they need to take others with them? One less terrible person in the world would be just fine with me, so why did they have to go and wreak tragedy in two separate communities, if not the whole United States?
Reading both stories with journalists attempting to find answers for the tragedies, all I could do was cry. The two people that died in Portland had San Diego connections, with one of them being an alumni of my alma mater, University of San Diego. The other had gone to UCSD. The lives that those people touched are forever changed by their passing. In Connecticut, the lives of those twenty children will never get to have those special moments that the president spoke about in his speech to America. They'll never get to even open the gifts that were probably being wrapped to be placed under the Christmas tree. The six teachers that were killed will no longer be able to encourage future students to live their dreams and hope for the future.
All of these people were living their lives normally never once thinking that Wednesday or Friday would be their last. Innocent children who dreamt of becoming firefighters or astronauts or doctors no longer getting that option. A coach of children no longer being able to teach his players the best part of the game - sportsmanship. A hospice nurse who will never be able to care for others as they reach the end of their own days. And teachers who will no longer help their students with creative projects for the holidays or supervise recess.
I understand that people die every day - sometimes important people or famous people. But in the wake of these shootings and the victims that were taken in such a random act of violence, I have to write what I feel.
When I wrote about the tragedy in Colorado (see the link at the beginning of this post), I wrote about not wanting to give up on my life. I still believe that. And while I know that it will be hard for the people in the Portland suburb and those that work at the Clackamas Mall and those in the small town of Newtown (as well as the rest of the country), over time we will all move on.
As if these stories are not bad enough, over the weekend, in Newport Beach (where we happened to be enjoying a boat tour), at the Fashion Island Mall, a man opened fire in the parking lot. He didn't shoot anyone and didn't even kill himself, but there he was, in the parking lot with a gun. And in Colorado yesterday, yet another murder-suicide was discovered after a man killed his ex-wife and her sister, her sister's husband and then himself.
I just finished listening to a novel called, When Will There Be Good News? Apropos, isn't it? The book had a happy ending but as I listened it seemed as if there were a lot of bad things happening. Sadly, there will be no happy endings for the time being and we will have to live our lives with this madness in our world.
As you read this message today, or whenever, think of your families and your friends and remind them just how much you care about them.
Until next time.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Why Am I Such a Misfit?
The other night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was on
television and we decided to let Abby watch it.
Now, if you happen to see my Twitter feed from that night (or you can
glance to your left), you would have seen that I had some interesting commentary
about the show.
It’s not like it’s been forever since I watched it. In fact, I watched it last year, probably
with Abby asleep on my lap or something.
However, for some reason, now that Abby is older and actually pays more
attention to television (she can recognize so much more now), maybe I look at
the show differently.
For instance, poor Rudolph. From the moment he is born, he is shunned by
his father and then by Santa Claus.
Santa’s a real jerk and Donner (Rudolph’s dad) does Rudolph a disservice
by simply ignoring the problem and suggesting it will go away over time. Donner also figures out a way to keep Rudolph’s
nose a secret for an entire year by making him wear a prosthetic nose in order
to keep the “glowing nose” hidden away – just like the mean father he is.
That’s just the beginning. When Rudolph is “playing the reindeer games”
(something tells me those could be worse than The Hunger Games), his nose falls
off, exposing his fluorescent note to his friends. Not only are his so-called friends mortified
by the revelation, but Santa becomes an even bigger jerk by putting Donner down
for hiding Rudolph’s nose (as if Donner had a way to fix it). Here’s where we get the lyric “they never let
poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games”.
Because of this symbolic bullying that Rudolph endures,
he chooses to run away, figuring that his life will be better off if he doesn’t
have to live up to other people’s standards.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Anything like the countless preteens and teenagers that have been taking
their own lives because they have been bullied recently? I’m getting off-topic, though. This is about Rudolph.
Along his journey, Rudolph makes new friends, Hermey and Yukon
Corelius. Together they have an adventure
and escape the Abominable Snowman and make their way to the Island of Misfit
Toys. As I sat watching the show the
other night, I wondered why the doll had been left on the Island, so I looked
it up on IMDB. It turns out that the
doll is depressed that no one loves her and therefore is considered a
misfit. What? A doll with serious depression? I know, based on the Toy Story movies, that
toys have feelings, but wow. Severe depression. Wonder if she should see a doctor about that?
Back to the show.
Rudolph and his friends aren’t allowed to stay on the
island but are given shelter for the night.
Rudolph wants to run away so the Abominable Snowman doesn’t find
them. He runs away again (I’m seeing
some sort of pattern) and heads off into the wild. Now there is no sense of time here, but we
know that it’s at least several months because Rudolph grows up. He also realizes that it’s time for him to go
home and face his problems, like any normal reindeer.
Here’s something else that was a little strange with this
show. When Rudolph comes home, he finds
out from Jerk Santa (who doesn’t seem to be a jerk anymore – maybe he grew up a
little, too?), that his father and mother and the doe that he liked, were all
gone, apparently out looking for him.
Hasn’t Rudolph been gone several months?
Wouldn’t they have stopped trying and headed home after a couple of
days? So what does Rudolph do? He simply figures out that they must be at
the Abominable Snowman’s cave. How does
he know that? They could be dead for all
he knew. He shouldn’t just assume they
are alive.
And that’s the best part.
When he arrives at the Snowman’s cave, it’s as if the Snowman has moments before captured his parents and girlfriend.
What? How did that happen? They were gone for several months and the
second that Rudolph is in the general vicinity, not only do Rudolph’s mom and
girlfriend find Donner, but all three of them mange to get found by the
Snowman. Uh huh. Rudolph tries to defend his family and his girlfriend and gets bonked on the head with a rock (something that would have killed an ordinary reindeer, but perhaps his magic nose gave him super strength).
Just when all hope seems lost, Yukon Cornelius and Hermey save the day (and everyone else). Hermey removes the Snowman's teeth and Yukon falls over the cliff with him. Hooray (read: sarcastically). Everyone comes home safe and then all of a sudden there's a storm that knocks over everything. Santa is prepared to cancel Christmas (how would he do that, by the way? Call a press conference? Send an email? Tweet? Santagram?), but suddenly realizes that the poor sap of a child of Donner's and his freak nose might actually be useful for something. Who knew?
So there's a happy ending after all (no massage necessary) and even the toys on the Island of Misfit Toys manage to find a place to live thanks to Santa. So why am I so cynical about this show? I'm definitely willing to suspend reality for the sixty minutes. I think it's just that I look at it from a parent's point of view and wonder exactly how long Abby will believe the magic that is Christmas.
"I believe, Spirit!" - wait, wrong movie.
To all of you who have already watched Rudolph and will now be wondering about everything, sorry. For those who haven't, sorry for exposing the real world to you.
Until next time.
PS......you all know this is just in fun, right?
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
All Hallows Eve
Halloween. The one time of the year where people can act like beggars and not be scolded for it. It's
a day when people can dress up in whatever costume they like and wander
around the streets and still not get looked at weird.
Even today, at work, I saw a few people that had chosen to dress up. While it's not something for me, they looked happy doing it. I had planned on dressing up as a Musketeer (not Mouseketeer) and was going to be wandering the streets with Abigail begging for candy that she won't eat (unless it's plain M&Ms). However, this year, I decided to stay in and simply pass out candy. I do want to get a new costume but I have been unable to decide on what I would want to be. It is why I still have the Musketeer costume a few years later.
This is the same dilemma that I have with my iPhone. I have yet to purchase a case for it even though I know it is necessary. My problem is that I cannot decide what design I want. Plus, some of the cooler designs are more expensive, which makes the decision even harder.
Back to Halloween . . . .
Abby had a parade at school today and apparently everyone loved her (naturally). When she got home she was excited about Halloween but wary when people came to the door. Mostly I think she was just trying to figure it all out. Abby did get to go out on the town for a few minutes with her mommy so that was nice for them, but Abby kept getting scared by the neighbors and their haunted house. Oh well. Maybe next year.
Well, this has been a great month. I've managed to post every day on topics big, small, weird, funny and serious. There are still two months left in the year and I plan on blogging a bit more before then. Thanks for coming along on the journey.
Until next time.
Even today, at work, I saw a few people that had chosen to dress up. While it's not something for me, they looked happy doing it. I had planned on dressing up as a Musketeer (not Mouseketeer) and was going to be wandering the streets with Abigail begging for candy that she won't eat (unless it's plain M&Ms). However, this year, I decided to stay in and simply pass out candy. I do want to get a new costume but I have been unable to decide on what I would want to be. It is why I still have the Musketeer costume a few years later.
This is the same dilemma that I have with my iPhone. I have yet to purchase a case for it even though I know it is necessary. My problem is that I cannot decide what design I want. Plus, some of the cooler designs are more expensive, which makes the decision even harder.
Back to Halloween . . . .
Abby had a parade at school today and apparently everyone loved her (naturally). When she got home she was excited about Halloween but wary when people came to the door. Mostly I think she was just trying to figure it all out. Abby did get to go out on the town for a few minutes with her mommy so that was nice for them, but Abby kept getting scared by the neighbors and their haunted house. Oh well. Maybe next year.
Well, this has been a great month. I've managed to post every day on topics big, small, weird, funny and serious. There are still two months left in the year and I plan on blogging a bit more before then. Thanks for coming along on the journey.
Until next time.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
You Need a John Williams Score to Read This Entry
When I heard the news this afternoon, it was a little bit of a shock. How could something like that have happened? Then, after reading several different articles and finding out more information, it was something that I was willing to accept, even praise. If you have no clue what I am talking about, then you sadly don't know me at all.
Earlier today, The Walt Disney Company marched into George Lucas' office and offered him $4.05 BILLION for Lucasfilm Limited. As the sole shareholder, I'm sure George didn't have to contemplate the deal very long. Actually, I have a feeling that he's been thinking about it for at least the past year.
Before I get into my complete reaction and how I feel about the company moving forward, let me explain how I feel about George basically giving up his company. That is not what he did. In fact, he is basically retiring from the movie making business. And while he will still write stories and possibly move them into the script process, he will no longer be actively doing so.
I've known for quite some time (because, you know, George and I are close), that George wanted to retire. The movie that came out earlier this year, Red Tails, was a project that he had worked long and hard to complete and with it fulfilled, George had finally felt he was finished with making movies himself. Again, that doesn't mean he is not in the process of overseeing stories for The Clone Wars or other projects that might come down the pike in the future, such as the supposed Star Wars: Episode VII.
It's easy to see that George had been preparing for something like this. Whether it was the actual sale of Lucasfilm or not, he had prepared to leave the company. Earlier this year, Kathleen Kennedy (one of Steven Spielberg's producing partners) joined Lucasfilm as co-chairman, essentially setting her up to be the person in charge once George stepped down. With the sale nearly complete, it appears that George will be able to ride off into the sunset just as Indiana Jones did at the end of The Last Crusade.
So now that I've talked a little about George and his reasons, let's talk about the company in general. As I trolled the Internet today for information, I saw numerous people decrying the buyout stating that George had "fallen" to the Dark Side and that the evil Emperor had finally won. Yes, it is true, George Lucas was a visionary and a pioneer and an independent filmmaker. He was not beholden to any studio to tell him what he could and could not do and that was how he liked it. Unfortunately, because of his own independence, there were certain disadvantages as well.
As the sole shareholder or Lucasfilm, everything was on his shoulders from budgets, casting, directing, writing, producing and I'm sure everything in between. That much work can take a lot out of a person and now that he is a little bit older (I will never call him old), he deserves a chance to rest.
Some people on the Internet were happy because Star Wars could finally get a decent writer and filmmaker and give "the fans" what they wanted from the movies in the first place. It's still unknown what SWVII will entail, but whatever it will be, I'm still going to see it. I'm one of those crazy fans when it comes to Star Wars, but when it comes to the prequel movies (those that shall not be named by certain people), I actually liked them. Yes, the dialogue was stiff. The acting was not stellar from some of the cast and certain things happened that people weren't happy about. Remember, though, folks, as prequels, they had a lot to live up to. There was already a story involved and they had to create the history to which is referred in movies from twenty years previous. Yes, some things didn't work well but on a whole, in my opinion, they were good movies.
So that's Star Wars. Let's talk about the other things that Disney will receive as part of the deal. Behind door number two: only the best post-production facility in the world, Industrial Light and Magic. Sure, WETA Studio is out there and so are dozens of other small firms, but ILM still leads the pack when it comes to advancements of special effects technology. A lot of the tech that is being used by other companies was designed by ILM or by someone that used to work for ILM. Skywalker Sound, one of the best sound editing facilities for movies and television is also included.
Both of these companies work on many Disney films at the moment, such as Iron Man 3 and The Avengers, but now instead of having to pay a separate fee to use them, they are technically "in house" properties, which makes it easier to assign the assets.
When people ask me how this will help Lucasfilm in the long run, I can only say that it will make it better. Look at what Disney has done with Pixar. Yes, Pixar was a wonderful company before it was purchased by Disney, but look what happened after. They just got bigger. The same with Marvel Comics. Wasn't The Avengers the summer's biggest blockbuster with a chance for more as the individual sequel movies start coming out in the next couple of years?
Though Lucasfilm is a great organization and a great film company, they are still small and independent. The Walt Disney Company is large and multifaceted. Disney understands Global Marketing in a way that Lucasfilm is only able to scratch the surface. This deal is good for everyone. George Lucas gets to retire on his terms with the person he trusts to run the company and Lucasfilm will not have to worry about projects or income slowly fading away.
Good luck George, with whatever you choose to do from now on.
Until tomorrow.
Earlier today, The Walt Disney Company marched into George Lucas' office and offered him $4.05 BILLION for Lucasfilm Limited. As the sole shareholder, I'm sure George didn't have to contemplate the deal very long. Actually, I have a feeling that he's been thinking about it for at least the past year.
Before I get into my complete reaction and how I feel about the company moving forward, let me explain how I feel about George basically giving up his company. That is not what he did. In fact, he is basically retiring from the movie making business. And while he will still write stories and possibly move them into the script process, he will no longer be actively doing so.
I've known for quite some time (because, you know, George and I are close), that George wanted to retire. The movie that came out earlier this year, Red Tails, was a project that he had worked long and hard to complete and with it fulfilled, George had finally felt he was finished with making movies himself. Again, that doesn't mean he is not in the process of overseeing stories for The Clone Wars or other projects that might come down the pike in the future, such as the supposed Star Wars: Episode VII.
It's easy to see that George had been preparing for something like this. Whether it was the actual sale of Lucasfilm or not, he had prepared to leave the company. Earlier this year, Kathleen Kennedy (one of Steven Spielberg's producing partners) joined Lucasfilm as co-chairman, essentially setting her up to be the person in charge once George stepped down. With the sale nearly complete, it appears that George will be able to ride off into the sunset just as Indiana Jones did at the end of The Last Crusade.
So now that I've talked a little about George and his reasons, let's talk about the company in general. As I trolled the Internet today for information, I saw numerous people decrying the buyout stating that George had "fallen" to the Dark Side and that the evil Emperor had finally won. Yes, it is true, George Lucas was a visionary and a pioneer and an independent filmmaker. He was not beholden to any studio to tell him what he could and could not do and that was how he liked it. Unfortunately, because of his own independence, there were certain disadvantages as well.
As the sole shareholder or Lucasfilm, everything was on his shoulders from budgets, casting, directing, writing, producing and I'm sure everything in between. That much work can take a lot out of a person and now that he is a little bit older (I will never call him old), he deserves a chance to rest.
Some people on the Internet were happy because Star Wars could finally get a decent writer and filmmaker and give "the fans" what they wanted from the movies in the first place. It's still unknown what SWVII will entail, but whatever it will be, I'm still going to see it. I'm one of those crazy fans when it comes to Star Wars, but when it comes to the prequel movies (those that shall not be named by certain people), I actually liked them. Yes, the dialogue was stiff. The acting was not stellar from some of the cast and certain things happened that people weren't happy about. Remember, though, folks, as prequels, they had a lot to live up to. There was already a story involved and they had to create the history to which is referred in movies from twenty years previous. Yes, some things didn't work well but on a whole, in my opinion, they were good movies.
So that's Star Wars. Let's talk about the other things that Disney will receive as part of the deal. Behind door number two: only the best post-production facility in the world, Industrial Light and Magic. Sure, WETA Studio is out there and so are dozens of other small firms, but ILM still leads the pack when it comes to advancements of special effects technology. A lot of the tech that is being used by other companies was designed by ILM or by someone that used to work for ILM. Skywalker Sound, one of the best sound editing facilities for movies and television is also included.
Both of these companies work on many Disney films at the moment, such as Iron Man 3 and The Avengers, but now instead of having to pay a separate fee to use them, they are technically "in house" properties, which makes it easier to assign the assets.
When people ask me how this will help Lucasfilm in the long run, I can only say that it will make it better. Look at what Disney has done with Pixar. Yes, Pixar was a wonderful company before it was purchased by Disney, but look what happened after. They just got bigger. The same with Marvel Comics. Wasn't The Avengers the summer's biggest blockbuster with a chance for more as the individual sequel movies start coming out in the next couple of years?
Though Lucasfilm is a great organization and a great film company, they are still small and independent. The Walt Disney Company is large and multifaceted. Disney understands Global Marketing in a way that Lucasfilm is only able to scratch the surface. This deal is good for everyone. George Lucas gets to retire on his terms with the person he trusts to run the company and Lucasfilm will not have to worry about projects or income slowly fading away.
Good luck George, with whatever you choose to do from now on.
Until tomorrow.
Monday, October 29, 2012
It's Time Again
Yes, I have found another blog entry by one of my favorite bloggers, Chris Matyszczyk. He really has a way of writing things and not only making them funny but making them understandable to the common person.
In today's article (actually written on Saturday), Chris is talking about an article from the New York Times and how it suggests that people are becoming ruder because they have a smartphone that can give them an instant excuse to get out of something they don't want to do.
I tend to agree. While I have never had a friend text me or call me when I was in the middle of something I didn't want to be at, but it has always been an option. Chris continues to cite the article from the New York Times and how it suggests that humans are simply egotistical and they use the fact that their friends have smartphones and can just get out of whatever it is they don't want to be doing.
I don't do a lot of texting but when I do it's because it's important. Whether it's trying to let a friend know I'm at the appropriate meeting location or that I'm running behind. It's not because I simply think that I'm so important that they need to know my every move. That's what Twitter is for, right?
I mean, most people tweet their current status, much like Facebook, so how is that any different?
Chris also feels that instead of becoming ruder because of the smartphone, humans are actually becoming more like themselves - rude. Read the article. He makes a pretty good argument.
When you've read the article that I'm referring to, feel free to read other postings. He's great.
Until tomorrow (two more days left).
In today's article (actually written on Saturday), Chris is talking about an article from the New York Times and how it suggests that people are becoming ruder because they have a smartphone that can give them an instant excuse to get out of something they don't want to do.
I tend to agree. While I have never had a friend text me or call me when I was in the middle of something I didn't want to be at, but it has always been an option. Chris continues to cite the article from the New York Times and how it suggests that humans are simply egotistical and they use the fact that their friends have smartphones and can just get out of whatever it is they don't want to be doing.
I don't do a lot of texting but when I do it's because it's important. Whether it's trying to let a friend know I'm at the appropriate meeting location or that I'm running behind. It's not because I simply think that I'm so important that they need to know my every move. That's what Twitter is for, right?
I mean, most people tweet their current status, much like Facebook, so how is that any different?
Chris also feels that instead of becoming ruder because of the smartphone, humans are actually becoming more like themselves - rude. Read the article. He makes a pretty good argument.
When you've read the article that I'm referring to, feel free to read other postings. He's great.
Until tomorrow (two more days left).
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Go Tigers
Okay, if you follow me on Twitter (and I'm not sure why this blog hasn't been showing you my most recent tweets), you will have seen last week that I congratulated the Tigers on winning the World Series as soon as the Giants won their series against the Cardinals. While I can admit that I was completely wrong in thinking the Tigers would win, I cannot admit that the Giants were the better team. Let's put it this way: they were the luckier team.
The problem with the Tigers during the World Series was that they could not get the timely hits. Of course, that would require them getting hits at all. While I'm not going to analyze every bit of each game, one specific point I am going to talk about would be in game four.
I think it was in the fifth or sixth inning where the Tigers had the bases loaded with only one out. Quentin Berry just needed to get a long fly ball. That's it. It would have brought in one run, but would have brought Miguel Cabrera (one of baseball's most feared hitters this year) up to bat. Sure, there would have been two outs, but it wouldn't have mattered. Cabrera could have changed his approach and possibly could have driven in another run instead of simply popping out to end the threat and cost the Tigers a chance at getting back into the game.
Again, can't congratulate the Giants, but I can say that they were pretty lucky. Too bad they couldn't just lose, though, since Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing the anthem at Game 5. Why couldn't they have just asked her to sing at Game 4? They were really positive. Oh well.
Until tomorrow.
The problem with the Tigers during the World Series was that they could not get the timely hits. Of course, that would require them getting hits at all. While I'm not going to analyze every bit of each game, one specific point I am going to talk about would be in game four.
I think it was in the fifth or sixth inning where the Tigers had the bases loaded with only one out. Quentin Berry just needed to get a long fly ball. That's it. It would have brought in one run, but would have brought Miguel Cabrera (one of baseball's most feared hitters this year) up to bat. Sure, there would have been two outs, but it wouldn't have mattered. Cabrera could have changed his approach and possibly could have driven in another run instead of simply popping out to end the threat and cost the Tigers a chance at getting back into the game.
Again, can't congratulate the Giants, but I can say that they were pretty lucky. Too bad they couldn't just lose, though, since Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing the anthem at Game 5. Why couldn't they have just asked her to sing at Game 4? They were really positive. Oh well.
Until tomorrow.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Ender's Game
I just finished the audiobook, Ender's Game, written by Orson Scott Card. The book debuted in 1985, meaning that I was 11 when it was first published. Why did it take me until I was 37 to read it? No idea. I mean, I've heard of it for some time now and I knew several of my friends that had read the book and its subsequent sequels. And though I am glad to have finally finished one of the quintessential books of modern Science Fiction, I can't say that I was satisfied with the book itself.
This is not an offense to the novel or to Orson Scott Card, who managed to create a very believable dystopian world. I think for me, there was just too much politics involved. I liked the intrigue and the plot was fine, despite the fact that Ender is considerably young when the book begins and not more than just a few years older by the climax of the book.
For me, though I could understand the reasoning behind a lot of the plot devices used, I wasn't that impressed. It happens, I suppose.
Again, this is not to say that the novel, Ender's Game, is bad, nor is Orson Scott Card a bad writer. Like I said, he created an incredible world that is very plausible. For me, the book went on and on with a few parts that seemed out of place in comparison to the overall plot.
If you've read Ender's Game, can you explain it to me? Like I said, I understand it, it just didn't seem to fit me as a reader.
Until tomorrow.
This is not an offense to the novel or to Orson Scott Card, who managed to create a very believable dystopian world. I think for me, there was just too much politics involved. I liked the intrigue and the plot was fine, despite the fact that Ender is considerably young when the book begins and not more than just a few years older by the climax of the book.
For me, though I could understand the reasoning behind a lot of the plot devices used, I wasn't that impressed. It happens, I suppose.
Again, this is not to say that the novel, Ender's Game, is bad, nor is Orson Scott Card a bad writer. Like I said, he created an incredible world that is very plausible. For me, the book went on and on with a few parts that seemed out of place in comparison to the overall plot.
If you've read Ender's Game, can you explain it to me? Like I said, I understand it, it just didn't seem to fit me as a reader.
Until tomorrow.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Scare Us
I learned something today. Neil Gaiman, the author, a few years ago, started something really cool. It is called All Hallows Read. It's an opportunity for people to be reminded to read. When he started the program, it was with the hope that people would share scary stories with each other. He hoped that children would receive appropriately scary stories as well.
It seems like a great concept and it's something that I would like to try, though it seems a lot of people that I know might not care about scary stories.
Neil Gaiman, for his part, decided that this year, for a change, the scary story that he decided to write, he would actually record. You see, Neil Gaiman is also a producer of fine audio books for Audible. His story this year is called Click-Clack the Rattlebag. It is a short story, just about ten minutes, but in just those few minutes, it manages to be creepy and makes you wonder exactly what could happen next.
While I'm not going to go into any detail, what I am going to do is point you to Audible's website. The reason I am is because Neil Gaiman has decided to give you his short story for free. Yes, free. Naturally, Neil Gaiman doesn't need the money and, in fact, had hoped to allow for a donation to a specific charity. Unfortunately, Audible is not set up that way. However, with the help of Audible, Neil still managed to give his book away and agreed that for every download of the book, Audible would donate $1 to a charity of his choice. There you have it. You download a free, ten minute story, written and read by Neil Gaiman and in turn donate a dollar to charity. No extra work on your part.
You have to act quickly, though, because this offer is only good through Halloween.
Here's the link: Scare Us
Wake the neighbors and phone the kids. This is for a good cause. Listen to the story and be scared by not knowing.
Until tomorrow.
It seems like a great concept and it's something that I would like to try, though it seems a lot of people that I know might not care about scary stories.
Neil Gaiman, for his part, decided that this year, for a change, the scary story that he decided to write, he would actually record. You see, Neil Gaiman is also a producer of fine audio books for Audible. His story this year is called Click-Clack the Rattlebag. It is a short story, just about ten minutes, but in just those few minutes, it manages to be creepy and makes you wonder exactly what could happen next.
While I'm not going to go into any detail, what I am going to do is point you to Audible's website. The reason I am is because Neil Gaiman has decided to give you his short story for free. Yes, free. Naturally, Neil Gaiman doesn't need the money and, in fact, had hoped to allow for a donation to a specific charity. Unfortunately, Audible is not set up that way. However, with the help of Audible, Neil still managed to give his book away and agreed that for every download of the book, Audible would donate $1 to a charity of his choice. There you have it. You download a free, ten minute story, written and read by Neil Gaiman and in turn donate a dollar to charity. No extra work on your part.
You have to act quickly, though, because this offer is only good through Halloween.
Here's the link: Scare Us
Wake the neighbors and phone the kids. This is for a good cause. Listen to the story and be scared by not knowing.
Until tomorrow.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Is It All Soul's Day Yet?
I am still impressed by bloggers that manage to write several articles a day. I suppose they take the time to do some research or interviews and decide what their readers want to see. For Pop Candy, I know that Whitney does a lot to ensure a very eclectic mix of pop culture information. Of course, at the moment she's in the throes of mommy hood, having given birth to her first child, a girl, at the end of September. However, she has a loyal band of guest bloggers that also take the time to come up with several ideas for the blog.
Maybe I should ask you, my readers (all three of you), to give me ideas of what you would like to see me write about. It could be about anything, within reason, of course. And if I use your idea, great. If not, at least you don't have to feel too bad.
With everything that goes on in a normal day at work and at home, I can't always come up with great ideas. That's where you could come in. Send me ideas. See a funny article? Send it to me and I'll make comments that might be just as funny. See something really strange and you want to know what it's all about, let me know and I might be able to do more than just a Google search.
It would be nice to be able to get this blog to the point that going on vacation didn't mean the blog would disappear for a week or some while I was gone. Instead, with your help, perhaps it could continue. Of course, as you've already discovered, I am prone to several vacations during the year.
Until tomorrow.
Maybe I should ask you, my readers (all three of you), to give me ideas of what you would like to see me write about. It could be about anything, within reason, of course. And if I use your idea, great. If not, at least you don't have to feel too bad.
With everything that goes on in a normal day at work and at home, I can't always come up with great ideas. That's where you could come in. Send me ideas. See a funny article? Send it to me and I'll make comments that might be just as funny. See something really strange and you want to know what it's all about, let me know and I might be able to do more than just a Google search.
It would be nice to be able to get this blog to the point that going on vacation didn't mean the blog would disappear for a week or some while I was gone. Instead, with your help, perhaps it could continue. Of course, as you've already discovered, I am prone to several vacations during the year.
Until tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
I Couldn't Resist
Having read this blog at least a few times, you will know just how much fun I like to have at the expense of others. What's that word, schadenfreude?
Anyway . . . when I saw this article this morning I could not resist wanting to write about it. Before I show you the link, though, let's give a little background.
It's from England, so you know there's a chance that it might be something strange. It involves children, but nothing physically harmful to them. More like mental. And inadvertent, really, not malicious at all. Well, unless someone really wanted to pull a practical joke.
Here's the article.
For those of you not willing to click through and read it, I shall summarize in the next paragraph.
Apparently, at a local movie theater - I'm sorry, cinema - a group of children and parents had paid for a ticket to see Madagascar 3. You can all see where this is going, right? Well, they didn't get that movie. They got something a lot worse and sadly, I think it's funny that it happened. The movie that started playing was Paranormal Activity 4 (which won the box office this past weekend).
So how do you think one makes that mistake? It's not like there are that many similarities in the names, though I suppose having a number in each of them could be so confusing.
Going back to the article, apparently a body was thrown at the camera (probably in a vain attempt at playing up the 3D imagery) which then sent the children into a tizzy, causing several of them to scream louder than their poor parents probably had heard them. Of course, the children immediately started running for an exit, their parents attempting to catch them and get them back into a semblance of order. But of course, that just didn't happen.
The cinema, for their part, obviously had to apologize and offered those affected by the incident and offer complimentary tickets. The company even offered them the opportunity a chance to see Madagascar 3 a mere thirty minutes after scaring the crap out of them, which I do not have the accurate numbers for. Let's just take a guess that less than fifty percent managed to see it the second time, even with a free ticket in their pocket. I have a feeling that those children might be in for some trouble every time they try to watch a sequel to anything.
Until tomorrow.
Anyway . . . when I saw this article this morning I could not resist wanting to write about it. Before I show you the link, though, let's give a little background.
It's from England, so you know there's a chance that it might be something strange. It involves children, but nothing physically harmful to them. More like mental. And inadvertent, really, not malicious at all. Well, unless someone really wanted to pull a practical joke.
Here's the article.
For those of you not willing to click through and read it, I shall summarize in the next paragraph.
Apparently, at a local movie theater - I'm sorry, cinema - a group of children and parents had paid for a ticket to see Madagascar 3. You can all see where this is going, right? Well, they didn't get that movie. They got something a lot worse and sadly, I think it's funny that it happened. The movie that started playing was Paranormal Activity 4 (which won the box office this past weekend).
So how do you think one makes that mistake? It's not like there are that many similarities in the names, though I suppose having a number in each of them could be so confusing.
Going back to the article, apparently a body was thrown at the camera (probably in a vain attempt at playing up the 3D imagery) which then sent the children into a tizzy, causing several of them to scream louder than their poor parents probably had heard them. Of course, the children immediately started running for an exit, their parents attempting to catch them and get them back into a semblance of order. But of course, that just didn't happen.
The cinema, for their part, obviously had to apologize and offered those affected by the incident and offer complimentary tickets. The company even offered them the opportunity a chance to see Madagascar 3 a mere thirty minutes after scaring the crap out of them, which I do not have the accurate numbers for. Let's just take a guess that less than fifty percent managed to see it the second time, even with a free ticket in their pocket. I have a feeling that those children might be in for some trouble every time they try to watch a sequel to anything.
Until tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Filler Part 2
It seems that on days when I am very busy at work or at home in the evening, I can't think of things to write about later each night. Perhaps that is why the blog ends up taking several hiatuses (is that a word?), because I just am not seeing enough things happening in the world that I want to talk about.
Of course, there are things that are happening in the world:
The debates, the election . . . those are off limits because I choose not to write about politics. It's not to say that I am uninformed or ignorant about politics, I just simply don't want to talk about my politics.
The recent abductions and murders of little girls in New Jersey and Colorado. As a father of a little girl, you can understand why I don't really want to talk about this subject.
Work. Work is going well. We are in process of doing several remodels around the building which make it fun when one group has to be moved to compensate for a room not being big enough or not having the proper tech equipment for their needs.
Writing. Obviously, I'm writing every day at the moment. I am attempting to keep up with my own fiction writing as well, but that tends to be a little harder since I am trying to maintain the one blog a day attitude at the moment. Honestly, I can't understand how bloggers can have several entries per day that are interesting. I suppose if my job was simply to write about stuff all day, I could figure something out.
I guess that's enough subjects to talk about. Maybe something exciting will happen tomorrow to give you something better to read.
Until tomorrow.
Of course, there are things that are happening in the world:
The debates, the election . . . those are off limits because I choose not to write about politics. It's not to say that I am uninformed or ignorant about politics, I just simply don't want to talk about my politics.
The recent abductions and murders of little girls in New Jersey and Colorado. As a father of a little girl, you can understand why I don't really want to talk about this subject.
Work. Work is going well. We are in process of doing several remodels around the building which make it fun when one group has to be moved to compensate for a room not being big enough or not having the proper tech equipment for their needs.
Writing. Obviously, I'm writing every day at the moment. I am attempting to keep up with my own fiction writing as well, but that tends to be a little harder since I am trying to maintain the one blog a day attitude at the moment. Honestly, I can't understand how bloggers can have several entries per day that are interesting. I suppose if my job was simply to write about stuff all day, I could figure something out.
I guess that's enough subjects to talk about. Maybe something exciting will happen tomorrow to give you something better to read.
Until tomorrow.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Filler
Today was a very busy day at work so I was unable to find a few minutes to find a subject for the day's post. That doesn't mean that I didn't read a lot or nothing happened. It's just that I wasn't able to really grasp anything that happened in the world to fit my particular needs for a topic for today.
I do know that the Bears managed to win their game against Detroit, which was impressive considering Jay Cutler had been flattened early in the game.
I also know that the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Giants because they didn't want to get on the ark in time (for those of you that don't know, God had decided to wipe out the San Francisco Giants because they weren't worthy enough. However, the Cardinals got in the way and took the hit that the Giants were supposed to). Because of that, rain drenched the field in San Francisco and I think that Jim Leyland (the manager of the Tigers) should begin filing a protest because the ground will not be in good shape for the game.
The Giants may have a decent offense, but they are going to be shut down by not only the greatest pitcher in the game today (Justin Verlander) but the rest of their rotation ain't half bad either. Good luck, Tigers.
Until tomorrow.
I do know that the Bears managed to win their game against Detroit, which was impressive considering Jay Cutler had been flattened early in the game.
I also know that the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Giants because they didn't want to get on the ark in time (for those of you that don't know, God had decided to wipe out the San Francisco Giants because they weren't worthy enough. However, the Cardinals got in the way and took the hit that the Giants were supposed to). Because of that, rain drenched the field in San Francisco and I think that Jim Leyland (the manager of the Tigers) should begin filing a protest because the ground will not be in good shape for the game.
The Giants may have a decent offense, but they are going to be shut down by not only the greatest pitcher in the game today (Justin Verlander) but the rest of their rotation ain't half bad either. Good luck, Tigers.
Until tomorrow.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Cartoon Mania
I watch cartoons. That's not saying a whole lot considering that I am still young at heart. However, the cartoons I watch are not really for children. For example, Family Guy. Definitely not for children. American Dad, The Cleveland Show, also not for children. The Simpsons can be for children because it's bright and sometimes funny but for the most part, all the jokes are geared for older viewers. And then there is the case of The Clone Wars. Two things that I enjoy: cartoons and Star Wars. How can it be any better?
The Clone Wars just started its fifth season and though it's uncertain just how long it will last, it just seems to get better every year. Though there are necessary constraints on the show (something like six movies and canon literature to contend with), they never seem to run out of stories to tell. Yes, I understand that in time, as the series is preparing to end, there will have to come some finality to some story lines, the most important of which is the fate of Anakin Skywalker's apprentice, Ahsoka Tano.
Am I getting ahead of myself? Possibly. For those of you that don't know, The Clone Wars takes place in the three years between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. My statement at the end of the last paragraph, then, is valid because Ahsoka is not mentioned in any way in Episode III nor in any literature that I have seen, which means that her fate has yet to be written. Or, if it has, I don't know about it just yet.
That's not to say that the show should just end because they have to advance the characters to where they are just before Episode III opens - in my opinion, I'd like the show to go on several more years. I really think that the braintrust of the show and George Lucas need to discuss story lines and determine what else needs to be told and how long it might take. If it takes five years, great. If it takes one, so be it. It's a great show with great animation and great writing and I'm glad that I have been able to watch it in its entirety.
Until tomorrow.
The Clone Wars just started its fifth season and though it's uncertain just how long it will last, it just seems to get better every year. Though there are necessary constraints on the show (something like six movies and canon literature to contend with), they never seem to run out of stories to tell. Yes, I understand that in time, as the series is preparing to end, there will have to come some finality to some story lines, the most important of which is the fate of Anakin Skywalker's apprentice, Ahsoka Tano.
Am I getting ahead of myself? Possibly. For those of you that don't know, The Clone Wars takes place in the three years between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. My statement at the end of the last paragraph, then, is valid because Ahsoka is not mentioned in any way in Episode III nor in any literature that I have seen, which means that her fate has yet to be written. Or, if it has, I don't know about it just yet.
That's not to say that the show should just end because they have to advance the characters to where they are just before Episode III opens - in my opinion, I'd like the show to go on several more years. I really think that the braintrust of the show and George Lucas need to discuss story lines and determine what else needs to be told and how long it might take. If it takes five years, great. If it takes one, so be it. It's a great show with great animation and great writing and I'm glad that I have been able to watch it in its entirety.
Until tomorrow.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Not The Happiest Place on Earth Today
If you couldn't tell, I'm going to talk about Disneyland. We spent the day there. Afternoon and evening. You would think that spending such a long time there we would have been able to do everything we wanted. You would be wrong.
Because of the newer, holiday-based attractions, Disneyland seems to be crowded on the weekends. And not just normal crowded. We are talking really crowded. Crowded to the point that waiting in line for Winnie the Pooh takes 20 minutes. 20 minutes!?!?!?!?!?! We're used to a 5-6 minute wait. And of course, there is Abby's favorite ride, It's A Small World. Did we get to go on it? Nope. 90 minutes. And not just 90 minutes at one point of the day. It was 90 minutes before we went to dinner and 90 minutes after an hour of dinner. And the Christmas decorations haven't even been put up yet.
I'm not sure why there were so many people at Disneyland today but it made the day long and tiring. Luckily, the weather cooperated and despite the heavy drizzle in Rancho Cucamonga, Siri predicted correctly that it would not rain in Anaheim.
I advise any of you that wish to go to Disneyland during the Fall months, choose a weekday. If I had the opportunity, I would choose that. However, if you do have to be there on the weekends, let me know so that we can coordinate opposite times to attend.
Until tomorrow.
Because of the newer, holiday-based attractions, Disneyland seems to be crowded on the weekends. And not just normal crowded. We are talking really crowded. Crowded to the point that waiting in line for Winnie the Pooh takes 20 minutes. 20 minutes!?!?!?!?!?! We're used to a 5-6 minute wait. And of course, there is Abby's favorite ride, It's A Small World. Did we get to go on it? Nope. 90 minutes. And not just 90 minutes at one point of the day. It was 90 minutes before we went to dinner and 90 minutes after an hour of dinner. And the Christmas decorations haven't even been put up yet.
I'm not sure why there were so many people at Disneyland today but it made the day long and tiring. Luckily, the weather cooperated and despite the heavy drizzle in Rancho Cucamonga, Siri predicted correctly that it would not rain in Anaheim.
I advise any of you that wish to go to Disneyland during the Fall months, choose a weekday. If I had the opportunity, I would choose that. However, if you do have to be there on the weekends, let me know so that we can coordinate opposite times to attend.
Until tomorrow.
Friday, October 19, 2012
What A World
Okay, you can admit it, I don't care. All of you either have an iPad or are jealous of those that do. Am I right? I, for one, do not want an iPad and that's because I have an iPhone. Yes, you can spout all you want about bigger screen size and being able to watch movies and what not, but an iPad is not practical. It cannot fit into your pocket nor does it work like a phone. And even the iPad mini which is supposed to be announced next week, will not be a phone. Therefore, this story that I'm going to talk about is utterly hilarious to me.
It turns out that someone decided to play a cruel trick on Walmart. This stands to good reason, I'm sure (think sarcasm as you read that). Someone initially purchased an iPad from Walmart and then returned it. First off, good for them, but in reality, it turns out that that person actually returned the box and not the iPad.
Here's the story: CLICK ME (if you dare)
For those of you that don't dare, here's a rundown. A woman went to Walmart in hopes of purchasing a new iPad for her daughter's birthday. Once purchased, she went home, wrapped it and waited for said daughter to open what should have been a great gift - something that would have scored points for the mom for at least a year in today's market. But no. All the girl got when she opened the iPad box was a set of yellow notepads. Get it?? iPad - notepad?
Well, the woman went back to Walmart, and as you would read in the article if you bothered, they were reticent to admit that anything was wrong on their end. It only took the help of a local news station before Walmart actually paid attention to the problem. Of course, Walmart was able to realize what had happened but have not found the original purchaser as of yet. I'm sure they're working really hard on it.
This just goes to show you. No matter what technology you are purchasing, you might want to have a look in the box before you walk out of the store. At least it would save you from having to come back.
Until tomorrow.
It turns out that someone decided to play a cruel trick on Walmart. This stands to good reason, I'm sure (think sarcasm as you read that). Someone initially purchased an iPad from Walmart and then returned it. First off, good for them, but in reality, it turns out that that person actually returned the box and not the iPad.
Here's the story: CLICK ME (if you dare)
For those of you that don't dare, here's a rundown. A woman went to Walmart in hopes of purchasing a new iPad for her daughter's birthday. Once purchased, she went home, wrapped it and waited for said daughter to open what should have been a great gift - something that would have scored points for the mom for at least a year in today's market. But no. All the girl got when she opened the iPad box was a set of yellow notepads. Get it?? iPad - notepad?
Well, the woman went back to Walmart, and as you would read in the article if you bothered, they were reticent to admit that anything was wrong on their end. It only took the help of a local news station before Walmart actually paid attention to the problem. Of course, Walmart was able to realize what had happened but have not found the original purchaser as of yet. I'm sure they're working really hard on it.
This just goes to show you. No matter what technology you are purchasing, you might want to have a look in the box before you walk out of the store. At least it would save you from having to come back.
Until tomorrow.
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