Archive for September, 2005
28th September 2005
Christine came over briefly tonight to drop off Lady. We are pumped, as always, to have her for the weekend.
I took the liberty to take an extended bike ride after work. I went over to Washington and just about Arlington to the “Help My Mac” store. Very cool store, they sell used macs, mostly used G4’s. Mark, the owner and operator was so nice. I asked him a whole bunch of stuff about Macs, learned a ton, and he was really friendly, taking time out of his repairs to talk to me.
Today, Chris got the “Stewie : The Untold Story” DVD that came out yesterday. We watched some of that at lunch, and I finished it when I got home. Just like a huge Family Guy episode, and it was hilarious. Kind of weird, as it hasn’t ever been aired, a completely stand alone little movie, wonder why, but awesome none the less.
Tonight working on the flurry of freelance work for a change, and playing around some with the Yahoo Music Unlimited free subscription.
Batman (1989)
The original, and what would be natural to say next, “the best”. But after Batman Begins this summer, this one is a classic, but isn’t necessarily a better story, if you minus any special effects evaluations.
I love this movie. A lot of my childhood and teenage years are tied to it. Superhero movies were not as easy to pull off at this time, and it really needed to be a cool story for it to work. Tim Burton directed the first two, and he did an excellent job. But, one thing that I did notice that he didn’t pull off quite as well as Chris Nolan tonight, a small detail, a large city feel to Gotham. Nolan gave it a modern feel, that isn’t what I am talking about, I am talking about the sheer mass of people in a city that is supposed to be as big as New York. Burton’s Gotham is more like a small city with huge buildings.
I will love Burton’s movie more for the quirkiness and gritty feel it had. From the crazy surgeon who worked on Jack Nicolson’s face, to Michael Keaton’s performance as the true eccentric that is Bruce Wayne. Keaton did place this aspect a little better than Bale, or maybe differently. Thinking that Keaton up to this point had been known as an oft kilter slap stick actor, who then channeled that into Wayne’s personality as well as being convincingly driven and focused, is pretty amazing in itself.
I liked the translation of Jack Napier as figure who killed Bruce’s parents. But looking back, I think maybe it was a touch too easy to kill as many people as Batman did in the first movie, and how much he used guns. That was a huge thing in the comics, and Nolan’s explanation of how Wayne comes into all of his toys is perfect.
I think though, the best part of this movie is, going back to the beginning, is Burton’s twist. Only his direction in color and camera angles made it a perfect fit with the entrance of the Joker. Especially in the utter calm scene where Wayne is shot by Napier in Vicki’s Vale apartment, to the weird painting of the paintings in the museum scene, to the Joker and his men parading with balloons through Gotham.
This seems a little dated to me. But looking through un-biased eyes, this is a great movie, and only falls a half star short of Batman Begins because the newer movie is that much more true to the original story in every detail and a great story at the same time. But this is what kicked it all of, thanks to Burton to a classic that everyone should see.
27th September 2005
Today was a good day. Teaching at school was much better today than last week, the students were responsive and seemed to react when I gave them an assignment with a due date.
Then Chris and I left a little early from work to catch a 4:10 show of Stealth at the cheap theaters. Awesome movie, engaging story with an awesome proper use of special effects.
When I got home, Sarah was still at the Children’s Museum for the teachers day - Norman Rockwell tour thing. She learned some really cool stuff about his art, and got a cool book from a visiting author. I went out for a jog, and then made myself some dinner and enjoyed the Long’s donuts that I picked up for the two of us.
Sections Updated: A-B Movies, S-T Movies
Stealth (2005)
Starring Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx and Sam Shepherd, I was expecting this one to be a “Bruckheimer-esqu” summer blockbuster, and it started off that with the intention to please.
As the movie progressed to the point where the AI flying fighter jet went wacko, things got really interesting. The whole movie kicked it up a notch, from average acting and buddy buddy scenes. Quick enough there is suspense, then Foxx dies, and the perfect pilots are in harm’s way and you are on the edge of your seat not knowing how they could possible win.
Jessica Biel is just soft enough to be female, without be stereotypically overboard as the fighting female pilot. Ripped and believable, she has a number of scenes where you forget she used to be on the WB and hot beautiful she is, and that she could actually be intelligent enough to be one of these elite fighters. Sam Shepard is the perfectly power war-hungry army stooge and bad guy, and Josh Lucas plays the main good guy with a great amount of zeal as well. Usually he is a baddie, so I was suprised, pleasantly, to see him in the lead role and not Foxx.
With bits of Behind Enemy Lines, and maybe even Saving Private Ryan, this has dazzling effects that fit the movie, but don’t go over the top. You feel the speed and taste the sky in some of the scenes, and the amazing camera work really give you a sense of what it is like up there and just adds to the danger and tension in most of the airborne scenes.
The “My Parents” rating - My Dad would like this, my Mom I think wouldn’t be able to believe that this fighter jet could think on it’s own. So, if you can believe that, and can sit through the first 30 minutes of the movie with a positive attitude, I think that most anyone would enjoy this movie. Not too violent, it was a summer movie with content and intelligence.
26th September 2005
A party was going on, my mouth was the happenin’ place to be
A true shot to my ego, and my pristine gobbler, I had my first cavity decommissioned this afternoon.
It is a truly funny image, you look out through your two eyes, into a bright light, and two people sticking any number of plastic, metal, or a combination of both, objects into your mouth, making lots of noise and generally caused monotonous stress upon their insured drones.
For all I know, the doctor could have a digital imagery manipulation from stink-u, and he is in the back room coloring your x-ray’s, muttering under his egor breath, “Yeeessss, dis will make an exceellent patient” as he swabs so more black on your personal mouth scans. They also teach proper manners and dialect at stink-u, because they come out, all polished, poke at your teeth for roughly the time it takes to blink an eye, and conclude, “Hmmm, Joe, appears we’ll be seeing you again soon.”
No matter how many times they phrase it that way, the patient never learns. “What, what did I win? I know. It’s it unbelievable! I floss ten times a day, and you want to use me as a demonstration of perfect dental hygiene to your aspiring dentist society. But before we get any further, these pearls don’t come free, does this pay benefits?”
He laughs with his smug polished, (did I detect an english accent in there? What is that?) laugh and says, “No, Bob (cause he doesn’t really know your name, only your statement) looks like you have yourself a doozie of a cavity there.”
There were really much nicer where I went, and it wasn’t really very painful, but :45 minutes of whirling and drilling and two separate individuals sticking their whole hands in my mouth pushed me to any man’s limits. Now, when I smile, I look like Two-Face from Batman. I concentrate real hard, but the left side just doesn’t respond. Yo! wake up face!
So, tonight, I will probably be doing things to take my mind off of my almost perfect mouth. Maybe I will watch movies with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, curl up in my blanket, and cry, “Look at their mouths! So perfect. So perfect.” as it turns to anger, throwing the kleenex at the screen, “I bet Mr. Gibson has never had two whole hands in his mouth!”.
Ah, that feels better. Seriously, Batman and ravioli for me tonight.
The perfect cap would’ve been if this “doctor” dentist guy, when I was leaving, slapped me generously on the behind and said, “walk it off kid!”
Sections Updated: C-D Movies, E-F Movies, P-R Movies
25th September 2005
Friday night we joined the Johnson family in a trip up to Muncie Indiana. We went to the Lutheran High School football game.
As I was watching the game, I realized that I don’t think I have ever really watched a football game. The few games I went to in high school, I usually was hanging out with friends doing other junk than actually watching the game. They lost a close one, 40-35. They did real well, minus all of the fumbles. But knowing that they are a first year team and that loss makes them 3-1, that is pretty good.
Saturday, we slept in. I had to go into work for about four hours, and Sarah was nice enough to keep me company. I relaxed when I got home from that stress and then played a little bit on the computer with a program called Audacity. I figured out how to record a song through my computer using the line in - line out jacks, so that was rewarding. I changed the songs on my mp3 player and went out and mowed the lawns.
Later on I changed the wheels on my roller blades, they were so low some of them were rubbing on the center, and we talked with Emily for a little while since it is her birthday. I finished off my night talking with Christine, reading some comics, and watching some Batman episodes. Sarah talked with Thomas via gTalk, and she got a lot read in her new Harry Potter book.
Today we did different things around the house. I had to work more to finish up what I had been working on Saturday morning. We did make time to watch the Colts improve to 3-0 over the Browns. Their offense needs to kick it up a notch.
We talked with both sets of parents tonight for our weekly catchup. My parents have a myriad of things going on with my sister’s wedding and issues with their dog growing older.
It was a pretty rainy day overall, made ya feel a little cooped up, and for me, not so thrilled about the rain. The pattern has been, rain, then warm weather, and then there’s me, mowing our jungle lawn for yet another week.
21st September 2005
Get ready for a Rockstar:INXS rant.
Last night was the last night of Rockstar:INXS. It didn’t end with a happy ending, not for me.
The final three, J.D., Mig and Marty, competed in grand fashion to become the lead singer of INXS. But about five minutes into the show, I knew with a sick feeling, who was going to win.
This is so dramatic, ooh, I know. It’s stupid. But you know, I don’t want these shows. I watched The Apprentice last year, and that is the last one I watched. I have even talked to business savvy individuals who succumb to that show. So, this was a dirty little pleasure for me. You’ve got to hand it to Mark Burnett, the producer on both of those shows. He gives you truly relatable situations or stories that give you a reason to watch.
The story for this show was that INXS last it’s lead singer to an overdose. That is about how far my knowledge about the band extended. So, a fairly well known band needs a new lead singer. A brand new concept, and less drama in front of the camera and more performing. INXS and Burnett saw the opportunity. Get a new crowd involved with the singer, learn about the band, get back into the limelight with some publicity, and Burnett gets another great show under his belt. Involve MSN and online exclusive sales in the booming market for digital music, and it is a win win. Throw in some big names like Brooke Burke from Wild On! E and Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction fame, and you can’t deny it was well thought out.
I knew why it worked, and I was ready for the ride. Let me find out about the band, maybe even buy some music, and if I like the new singer, hell, I’ll buy the first new album just to give it a try. Because I saw the lead singer come to the light, I felt like I saw them grow and watched a star being born.
Back to the final three. I liked Mig for most of the show. But the last three shows his stage past came through, where he lost the feeling he had in his songs and it became more performance and less finesse. I hated J.D. from the beginning. The last three shows he did really well, especially for him. He acts like a baby, has nothing original to say, has limited vocal range, and is one mountain dew away from being the lead singer of Sum 41.
Marty is the true performer. An electrifyingly different voice. Not always on key, but he has the rock star air, the dress, the antics on stage, and a decent voice when it counted. I like passion to come through in my singer’s, not shouting passion, but just about any other kind. You can tell, the emotion comes through in the song. He may not have had a particular emotion, but it was riveting to watch him perform.
But I knew last night, J.D. was going to win.
He kept sticking around. INXS never drooled over him, they never went overboard. In that first few moments of the night I knew. Mig was voted off, that is because he overdid it a little. But, look at the haircuts, the voice isn’t that distinguishing, and the other thing, Marty always wanted to meet halfway, J.D. was crying about taking INXS “into his heart”. Right. Gay.
It was a business decision. Will it last, who knows. It wouldn’t have mattered who won, the legitimacy of the whole thing is questionable at best. But he would follow orders, not interrupt their flow, take their attention, and let them have someone to sing their songs.
Fine. I am not mad. I had come to grips, like I said, in five minutes. But I will say this. They had me. They had me. Picked Marty or Mig, and I buy the album. But you picked J.D. He’s a punk, he acts like someone trying to be a rockstar, but really doesn’t know who they are. Not only am I not going to get the album, but I will probably go out of my way to not buy anything by them, or listen to them. The new song last night was average at best, and his voice clashed with the backups and the rest of the band.
I would have been your idea consumer, the show, the whole bit. But you chose the guy the women voted for and kept on through the whole show. A bunch of mindless groupie who probably watch a ton of the Candy Coated American Idol.
I hope Marty Casey opens for INXS, and I hope he has a successful career. He just may not. Just cause he did that good on a tv show doesn’t mean that I am blind to think that means anything. But “Trees” is a damn catchy song, and that is huge. I’ll buy his album.
Congratulations guys. You’ll sell a lot of albums in exchange for any integrity and longevity you could have desired to have had.
25th September 2005
Friday night we joined the Johnson family in a trip up to Muncie Indiana. We went to the Lutheran High School football game.
As I was watching the game, I realized that I don’t think I have ever really watched a football game. The few games I went to in high school, I usually was hanging out with friends doing other junk than actually watching the game. They lost a close one, 40-35. They did real well, minus all of the fumbles. But knowing that they are a first year team and that loss makes them 3-1, that is pretty good.
Saturday, we slept in. I had to go into work for about four hours, and Sarah was nice enough to keep me company. I relaxed when I got home from that stress and then played a little bit on the computer with a program called Audacity. I figured out how to record a song through my computer using the line in - line out jacks, so that was rewarding. I changed the songs on my mp3 player and went out and mowed the lawns.
Later on I changed the wheels on my roller blades, they were so low some of them were rubbing on the center, and we talked with Emily for a little while since it is her birthday. I finished off my night talking with Christine, reading some comics, and watching some Batman episodes. Sarah talked with Thomas via gTalk, and she got a lot read in her new Harry Potter book.
Today we did different things around the house. I had to work more to finish up what I had been working on Saturday morning. We did make time to watch the Colts improve to 3-0 over the Browns. Their offense needs to kick it up a notch.
We talked with both sets of parents tonight for our weekly catchup. My parents have a myriad of things going on with my sister’s wedding and issues with their dog growing older.
It was a pretty rainy day overall, made ya feel a little cooped up, and for me, not so thrilled about the rain. The pattern has been, rain, then warm weather, and then there’s me, mowing our jungle lawn for yet another week.
21st September 2005
Get ready for a Rockstar:INXS rant.
Last night was the last night of Rockstar:INXS. It didn’t end with a happy ending, not for me.
The final three, J.D., Mig and Marty, competed in grand fashion to become the lead singer of INXS. But about five minutes into the show, I knew with a sick feeling, who was going to win.
This is so dramatic, ooh, I know. It’s stupid. But you know, I don’t want these shows. I watched The Apprentice last year, and that is the last one I watched. I have even talked to business savvy individuals who succumb to that show. So, this was a dirty little pleasure for me. You’ve got to hand it to Mark Burnett, the producer on both of those shows. He gives you truly relatable situations or stories that give you a reason to watch.
The story for this show was that INXS last it’s lead singer to an overdose. That is about how far my knowledge about the band extended. So, a fairly well known band needs a new lead singer. A brand new concept, and less drama in front of the camera and more performing. INXS and Burnett saw the opportunity. Get a new crowd involved with the singer, learn about the band, get back into the limelight with some publicity, and Burnett gets another great show under his belt. Involve MSN and online exclusive sales in the booming market for digital music, and it is a win win. Throw in some big names like Brooke Burke from Wild On! E and Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction fame, and you can’t deny it was well thought out.
I knew why it worked, and I was ready for the ride. Let me find out about the band, maybe even buy some music, and if I like the new singer, hell, I’ll buy the first new album just to give it a try. Because I saw the lead singer come to the light, I felt like I saw them grow and watched a star being born.
Back to the final three. I liked Mig for most of the show. But the last three shows his stage past came through, where he lost the feeling he had in his songs and it became more performance and less finesse. I hated J.D. from the beginning. The last three shows he did really well, especially for him. He acts like a baby, has nothing original to say, has limited vocal range, and is one mountain dew away from being the lead singer of Sum 41.
Marty is the true performer. An electrifyingly different voice. Not always on key, but he has the rock star air, the dress, the antics on stage, and a decent voice when it counted. I like passion to come through in my singer’s, not shouting passion, but just about any other kind. You can tell, the emotion comes through in the song. He may not have had a particular emotion, but it was riveting to watch him perform.
But I knew last night, J.D. was going to win.
He kept sticking around. INXS never drooled over him, they never went overboard. In that first few moments of the night I knew. Mig was voted off, that is because he overdid it a little. But, look at the haircuts, the voice isn’t that distinguishing, and the other thing, Marty always wanted to meet halfway, J.D. was crying about taking INXS “into his heart”. Right. Gay.
It was a business decision. Will it last, who knows. It wouldn’t have mattered who won, the legitimacy of the whole thing is questionable at best. But he would follow orders, not interrupt their flow, take their attention, and let them have someone to sing their songs.
Fine. I am not mad. I had come to grips, like I said, in five minutes. But I will say this. They had me. They had me. Picked Marty or Mig, and I buy the album. But you picked J.D. He’s a punk, he acts like someone trying to be a rockstar, but really doesn’t know who they are. Not only am I not going to get the album, but I will probably go out of my way to not buy anything by them, or listen to them. The new song last night was average at best, and his voice clashed with the backups and the rest of the band.
I would have been your idea consumer, the show, the whole bit. But you chose the guy the women voted for and kept on through the whole show. A bunch of mindless groupie who probably watch a ton of the Candy Coated American Idol.
I hope Marty Casey opens for INXS, and I hope he has a successful career. He just may not. Just cause he did that good on a tv show doesn’t mean that I am blind to think that means anything. But “Trees” is a damn catchy song, and that is huge. I’ll buy his album.
Congratulations guys. You’ll sell a lot of albums in exchange for any integrity and longevity you could have desired to have had.
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