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Happy birthday to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fisherking! May all of your signs be easy to stick, and your tea at McAllister's cold and sweet.
Happy birthday tozimskunk! Today, let pawslut be your cake! I suggest whipped cream and strawberry topping. It seems like he'd go best with that.
And finally, good luck todrleo, who is defending his doctorate dissertation today. May the gods and saints of philosophical doctors find favor with you. With biceps and brains like that, I don't see how they wouldn't. :)
Yesterday we went to see Flags of Our Fathers. I'll be writing a review of it, but I thought I would recommend it to folks here as well. If only we could get the spirit of the film to be infused into our modern journalism, our news would suddenly becomes ten times better. It's just...wonderful.
A lot of people have been bitching about Halloween and how it's become merely a shell of its former self. Actually, I do think this is true, but...there are plenty of places and people that are still trying to make the trick-or-treating fun and great. Next year, volunteer to help them keep the bastardized spirit alive!
I get paid today; it'll be my first full paycheck since moving out here, so now I should have a better idea of the kind of income I'll be making, and how much money I'll have for wiggle room. There's still a lot of stuff I should save for. I got the crown buildup in Arkansas, but left before I could actually get the crown...even with the dental insurance I get at Bookbuyers it should come to around $500 or so. Also, I'm sure everyone in the house would absolutely love it if I replaced those messy stacks of boxes with proper bookshelves and everything. ;)
There's a certain kind of pride that comes with finishing a short story that didn't have to be anywhere for anything; it makes you wonder what else you can do, to quote Lester Burnham (God rest his soul). Next up on the docket, though, are the folks who took part in the LiveJournal meme (pronounced MEEM, in case you didn't know); Lazarus first, then Kigeni...and then I'll have to dig back into the archives for the rest of the order. I do know what I'm doing for the first two, and I hope they'll like what I've got.
Also, somewhere in there I *really* should start editing the poetry I said I would. I'm thinking I might copy or print one and just go over it at work. Eventually, I'm going to have to sit down and start figuring out National Poetry Writing Month. I'd like to do something...more this year, but I'm not sure what. Maybe a webpage or something that tells people what it is, who participated last year, and maybe if people wanted to have something going through the year we could eventually make a small, monthly webzine out of it. I'd have no idea where to even begin with that, though.
Overall, my life has been blissful and boring. Work, home, TV or movies, writing, loving me some Toob, playing a game or two...that's been it. We've visited a lot of people in the past few months, so I've been able to kinda get to know the regulars. Everyone's really pretty cool 'round these parts.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is dangerously addictive, by the way. I'm almost glad I'm too poor to afford Mario Tennis, or else I think we might have a serious problem. :D We also got a fresh copy of Super Smash Bros. Melee, and it's up to us to unlock all the characters and secret locations. I've never had to do that before, since...well, every copy of the game I've run across up 'til now has been rabidly played by other roomies and friends. It's a learning experience. :) I want Falco, damnit!!
I'm so glad that the networks are starting to branch out with interesting television. So far there are three new series this season I've picked up for watching: Jericho, Heroes and The Nine.
Jericho is a post-apocalyptic drama set in small-town Kansas, where the people have been cut off from...everything since mushroom clouds appeared over the horizon. They advertised with *great* images and the show became, well, an instant obsession for me. Wonder why? :) They idea is so neat it's hard to imagine them turning it into a boring show. Somehow, they did.
I think the biggest problem with the show is that the characters are so very poorly drawn. They're either caricatures of the archetypes they're supposed to embody or so muddled and vapory they're not interesting at all. We really don't get to know much about them before the show dives headlong into the action, so when people are placed in mortal situations it's hard to be very tense about it. What's worse is the action almost always seems forced; disaster after disaster is fabricated to make the main characters more likable by saving an inexhaustible supply of school children from week to week. Also, they seriously need to get better research and consultation; their knowledge of how the aftermath of even limited nuclear exchange works is shaky at best, and they ignore or twist science a bit too often for the sake of plot.
Still, the mystery of what happened and why, along with the hints that the show can get better (in every episode, there's one scene that makes my heart race and my skin crawl), keep me tuning in week after week. Last episode, in which the town saw bombs from our side rising into the air followed by an EMP burst that fried all the circuitry, was the best yet. One of the townsfolk knows a *lot* more about what's going on than anyone else, but it remains to be seen which side he's on. And people are finally starting to react to the idea that the old America is pretty much over. The study of what people will do when civilization ends, what kind of people they become when there are no strong outside forces guiding them, is endlessly fascinating to me, and I hope they pick up the ball and run in that direction for the rest of the season.
We missed the infamous pilot episode, so it took us a while to catch up with the series, and I'm *really* glad we did. As a comic book/superhero geek, I've always kind of wanted them to come back into the mainstream...and now they have, with the success of all those people-in-tights movies. :) It's been a *really* long time since we've had a superhero TV show though; the ones that come to mind as most recent are The Incredible Hulk and The Last American Hero.
So, Heroes. What I like about it is that it is so character-centric, really letting the people drive the plot and not the other way around. We're on episode 6 now, and the main characters have yet to actually get together and organize in any significant way. I really dig the way the series is taking its time getting people together, letting their bumping into each other happen naturally. You can really see the foundation being built, brick by brick, while at the same time you have inklings here and there of what everything will look like down the road. It's all coming down to a battle for New York, and there are so many questions to answer in the meantime. Who's detonating the bomb and why? Or is it an accident? What's going on with Claire's father? What's up with Suresh's work? Who's been targeting Mohinder and his father, and why? Etc. etc.
One of the most satisfying things about the show is that the questions come up and you don't feel the pressure to answer them; you trust they will, and in the meantime the action on the screen is so engrossing you just get swept up in it. The cop, the cheerleader, the hooker with a heart of arsenic, the junkie painter, the office worker, the politician and his nutso brother...they've got a tremendous ensemble going here. As long as they keep making it work for them, this is one of the best shows on the air.
The most surprising thing about The Nine is...well, how they're managing to juggle the premise. The whole idea of a show following the aftermath of a 2-day hostage situation without letting us know what happened is...well, pretty high-concept. How long can they tease out the puzzle pieces of the standoff and keep it relevant to the events that happen afterwards? Will there come a point where we stop caring about the bank robbery? Will the show actually hold up then?
It took me a little while to get into the show. Again, great ensemble cast with very well-done character studies. Each of these people is dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder in their own ways, and it's interesting and...empathy-building (for lack of a better word) to watch these people try to pull their lives together after an event of such weight. Everybody changes, and since those changes run really deep a lot of them probably won't fully manifest for some time later. Meanwhile, new relationships are being forged, old ones are being tested and warped. Some of them, I suppose, are...well, maybe it's their time to die. Is it just me, or does anyone have any idea why Egan Foote married his wife?
Speaking of Egan, I'm interested to see where they're going to go with him. The first fractures in his 'having a second chance at life, hooray!' attitude started appearing, when he realized it's not going to be as easy as just...snapping your fingers and committing a single act of change. It's a good start, but what he wants means that there's a very long haul ahead of him, and he's started to realize that. How far is he going to dig his heels in?
Every time I see Chi McBride, I want to give him a hug. He looks so cuddly and soft, and those sad eyes just scream "Give me some lovin', please." Except when he's screaming on his daughter, and then you remember he's freakin' *huge*. Remember to stay on his good side. Damn. o.O
Unfortunately, of the three The Nine looks to be in the most trouble. It's hemorrhaging viewers after Lost, losing a little over 50% of that show's viewers from week to week (and that's not good, considering that Lost itself is down so far this year). That's...a little worse than Invasion, and I'm willing to bet The Nine costs more because of it's pretty big cast. I'm not sure it's even been picked up for a full season yet. Aiee! Over on Bravo's Deathwatch, the odds of cancellation are like 234:1, making it one of the five safest shows of the season so far. Let's just hope they're right. :)
OK, now that I'm done geeking out, it's time to work. After work, parking myself on the couch for TV. Yay. :)
fisherking! May all of your signs be easy to stick, and your tea at McAllister's cold and sweet. Happy birthday to
zimskunk! Today, let pawslut be your cake! I suggest whipped cream and strawberry topping. It seems like he'd go best with that.And finally, good luck to
drleo, who is defending his doctorate dissertation today. May the gods and saints of philosophical doctors find favor with you. With biceps and brains like that, I don't see how they wouldn't. :)Yesterday we went to see Flags of Our Fathers. I'll be writing a review of it, but I thought I would recommend it to folks here as well. If only we could get the spirit of the film to be infused into our modern journalism, our news would suddenly becomes ten times better. It's just...wonderful.
A lot of people have been bitching about Halloween and how it's become merely a shell of its former self. Actually, I do think this is true, but...there are plenty of places and people that are still trying to make the trick-or-treating fun and great. Next year, volunteer to help them keep the bastardized spirit alive!
I get paid today; it'll be my first full paycheck since moving out here, so now I should have a better idea of the kind of income I'll be making, and how much money I'll have for wiggle room. There's still a lot of stuff I should save for. I got the crown buildup in Arkansas, but left before I could actually get the crown...even with the dental insurance I get at Bookbuyers it should come to around $500 or so. Also, I'm sure everyone in the house would absolutely love it if I replaced those messy stacks of boxes with proper bookshelves and everything. ;)
There's a certain kind of pride that comes with finishing a short story that didn't have to be anywhere for anything; it makes you wonder what else you can do, to quote Lester Burnham (God rest his soul). Next up on the docket, though, are the folks who took part in the LiveJournal meme (pronounced MEEM, in case you didn't know); Lazarus first, then Kigeni...and then I'll have to dig back into the archives for the rest of the order. I do know what I'm doing for the first two, and I hope they'll like what I've got.
Also, somewhere in there I *really* should start editing the poetry I said I would. I'm thinking I might copy or print one and just go over it at work. Eventually, I'm going to have to sit down and start figuring out National Poetry Writing Month. I'd like to do something...more this year, but I'm not sure what. Maybe a webpage or something that tells people what it is, who participated last year, and maybe if people wanted to have something going through the year we could eventually make a small, monthly webzine out of it. I'd have no idea where to even begin with that, though.
Overall, my life has been blissful and boring. Work, home, TV or movies, writing, loving me some Toob, playing a game or two...that's been it. We've visited a lot of people in the past few months, so I've been able to kinda get to know the regulars. Everyone's really pretty cool 'round these parts.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is dangerously addictive, by the way. I'm almost glad I'm too poor to afford Mario Tennis, or else I think we might have a serious problem. :D We also got a fresh copy of Super Smash Bros. Melee, and it's up to us to unlock all the characters and secret locations. I've never had to do that before, since...well, every copy of the game I've run across up 'til now has been rabidly played by other roomies and friends. It's a learning experience. :) I want Falco, damnit!!
I'm so glad that the networks are starting to branch out with interesting television. So far there are three new series this season I've picked up for watching: Jericho, Heroes and The Nine.
Jericho is a post-apocalyptic drama set in small-town Kansas, where the people have been cut off from...everything since mushroom clouds appeared over the horizon. They advertised with *great* images and the show became, well, an instant obsession for me. Wonder why? :) They idea is so neat it's hard to imagine them turning it into a boring show. Somehow, they did.
I think the biggest problem with the show is that the characters are so very poorly drawn. They're either caricatures of the archetypes they're supposed to embody or so muddled and vapory they're not interesting at all. We really don't get to know much about them before the show dives headlong into the action, so when people are placed in mortal situations it's hard to be very tense about it. What's worse is the action almost always seems forced; disaster after disaster is fabricated to make the main characters more likable by saving an inexhaustible supply of school children from week to week. Also, they seriously need to get better research and consultation; their knowledge of how the aftermath of even limited nuclear exchange works is shaky at best, and they ignore or twist science a bit too often for the sake of plot.
Still, the mystery of what happened and why, along with the hints that the show can get better (in every episode, there's one scene that makes my heart race and my skin crawl), keep me tuning in week after week. Last episode, in which the town saw bombs from our side rising into the air followed by an EMP burst that fried all the circuitry, was the best yet. One of the townsfolk knows a *lot* more about what's going on than anyone else, but it remains to be seen which side he's on. And people are finally starting to react to the idea that the old America is pretty much over. The study of what people will do when civilization ends, what kind of people they become when there are no strong outside forces guiding them, is endlessly fascinating to me, and I hope they pick up the ball and run in that direction for the rest of the season.
We missed the infamous pilot episode, so it took us a while to catch up with the series, and I'm *really* glad we did. As a comic book/superhero geek, I've always kind of wanted them to come back into the mainstream...and now they have, with the success of all those people-in-tights movies. :) It's been a *really* long time since we've had a superhero TV show though; the ones that come to mind as most recent are The Incredible Hulk and The Last American Hero.
So, Heroes. What I like about it is that it is so character-centric, really letting the people drive the plot and not the other way around. We're on episode 6 now, and the main characters have yet to actually get together and organize in any significant way. I really dig the way the series is taking its time getting people together, letting their bumping into each other happen naturally. You can really see the foundation being built, brick by brick, while at the same time you have inklings here and there of what everything will look like down the road. It's all coming down to a battle for New York, and there are so many questions to answer in the meantime. Who's detonating the bomb and why? Or is it an accident? What's going on with Claire's father? What's up with Suresh's work? Who's been targeting Mohinder and his father, and why? Etc. etc.
One of the most satisfying things about the show is that the questions come up and you don't feel the pressure to answer them; you trust they will, and in the meantime the action on the screen is so engrossing you just get swept up in it. The cop, the cheerleader, the hooker with a heart of arsenic, the junkie painter, the office worker, the politician and his nutso brother...they've got a tremendous ensemble going here. As long as they keep making it work for them, this is one of the best shows on the air.
The most surprising thing about The Nine is...well, how they're managing to juggle the premise. The whole idea of a show following the aftermath of a 2-day hostage situation without letting us know what happened is...well, pretty high-concept. How long can they tease out the puzzle pieces of the standoff and keep it relevant to the events that happen afterwards? Will there come a point where we stop caring about the bank robbery? Will the show actually hold up then?
It took me a little while to get into the show. Again, great ensemble cast with very well-done character studies. Each of these people is dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder in their own ways, and it's interesting and...empathy-building (for lack of a better word) to watch these people try to pull their lives together after an event of such weight. Everybody changes, and since those changes run really deep a lot of them probably won't fully manifest for some time later. Meanwhile, new relationships are being forged, old ones are being tested and warped. Some of them, I suppose, are...well, maybe it's their time to die. Is it just me, or does anyone have any idea why Egan Foote married his wife?
Speaking of Egan, I'm interested to see where they're going to go with him. The first fractures in his 'having a second chance at life, hooray!' attitude started appearing, when he realized it's not going to be as easy as just...snapping your fingers and committing a single act of change. It's a good start, but what he wants means that there's a very long haul ahead of him, and he's started to realize that. How far is he going to dig his heels in?
Every time I see Chi McBride, I want to give him a hug. He looks so cuddly and soft, and those sad eyes just scream "Give me some lovin', please." Except when he's screaming on his daughter, and then you remember he's freakin' *huge*. Remember to stay on his good side. Damn. o.O
Unfortunately, of the three The Nine looks to be in the most trouble. It's hemorrhaging viewers after Lost, losing a little over 50% of that show's viewers from week to week (and that's not good, considering that Lost itself is down so far this year). That's...a little worse than Invasion, and I'm willing to bet The Nine costs more because of it's pretty big cast. I'm not sure it's even been picked up for a full season yet. Aiee! Over on Bravo's Deathwatch, the odds of cancellation are like 234:1, making it one of the five safest shows of the season so far. Let's just hope they're right. :)
OK, now that I'm done geeking out, it's time to work. After work, parking myself on the couch for TV. Yay. :)