I'd grown so impatiently exhausted with the way our nations media handled this election that it gave me migrains to watch anything other than The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. Maybe the root cause there is that our media feels the need to appeal to the lowest common denominator or, in order to be the most frank, the stupidest people in the room. I'm not saying it's wrong to do that, but it's my firm belief that if you speak intelligently without pandering, your message will get across. The fact that there has to be shows that air with the ethos The No-Spin Zone or Cutting Through the Bull could actually speak to the size of the problem. Sure, for some, the message may come a bit slower than others, but that's natural selection, people. Then again, some folks in the republican camp of politics may not subscribe to that.
Before anyone decides to really sink their teeth into the fact that I'm not the first on this, save your breath and energy. Believe me, I know and every 4 years I get really sick of it. It's just a cycle that will probably continue every 4 years till I exit this mortal coil.
Back to what I originally wanted to say. I'll be the first to admit that The Daily Show and The Colbert Report aren't the best news sources for anyone to rely on because they miss so much. However, the fact that they zero in on how the news is presented and lampoon those responsible is what I find a vast amount of solace in. I'm just sayin', that's all.
So our 44th President is Barack Obama. I'm happy for 2 reasons. 1) The right man for the job got the job. I'm not going to go into why, that's just my belief and I will stand by it until he proves me wrong. If he does, I'll stand up and admit it. 2) This is more of a personal one for me. I remember a conversation that I had with my mother at either Christmas of '07 or another time I was seeing them. We were in the van and they said, "Who do you like for President?" I said, "You're not going to like it, but the next president will be Barack Obama. He's a guy this country needs." The ironic thing in all of this is the fact that both of my parents agreed with me. Of course this was at a time before primaries had begun and there was no credence to my thoughts and my parents could've just agreed with me to shut me up. That wouldn't be a first.
I will say this, for the first time (my 3rd election), I felt like it mattered when I walked into the voting booth and made my decision and I think that feeling will probably reside with me for some time. I don't know, maybe it's just because when I voted in other elections, there didn't seem to be anything that would affect me like the current calamity we face as a nation seems to. There's also the fact that I was genuinely apathetic back then. This time I really tried to pay attention. Plus, it's always good when the person you vote for gets elected, we might as well be real about that. Whether it's perceived as superficial or not, I feel that something seemed to matter when I voted this time. I didn't feel that before.
As for me, I'm fine. I find myself thinking about Brixton a lot more lately. It really sucks when I open the door and the apartment is still empty. I don't know...
Other than that, I've come to some realizations as of late. My interest in movies has almost completely vanished. Not sure why, either. I think that, since I started playing football (soccer) again, I just don't want to sit and watch a film anymore. This brings a paradox to the table in that, I will sit for 2 hours and watch Liverpool or Barcelona or Valencia. I won't even start on how much time I've spent lately playing video games.
Speaking of video games, I have to hand it to my wife. This is even weirder because she's been anti-video games for most of the time I've known her. I started talking about the possibility of a FIFA 09 tournament shortly before the game came out in October. Then she uttered some interesting words, "Would you teach me to play?" Absolutely flabbergasted, I said I would and that she'd have to work at it to get good. It lasted almost 2 full lessons before she gave up. That's when something even weirder happened. I wanted to get a wireless lan adapter for my Xbox 360. She, a friend and I went to Best Buy to do so. As I grabbed what I needed and started to walk out, I hear "Oh, and we're getting Rock Band as well."
This requires a bit of precursing, ever since I became aware of Guitar Hero I wasn't even close to interested in it. I took that pseudo-high road approach, subscribing to the belief that, if I wanted to play music, I'd learn to play the real thing. So, I was against that and Rock Band on a matter of what I thought was principle. Then again, marriage does funny things to dudes. As I tried to question her statement of intent on acquiring a video game, I had her, my friend and a vision of my father in the back of my head all looking at me like, "You know the outcome of this: You can either argue or go along quietly, but either way you're carrying that gigantic Rock Band box to the register and the car." So, I did what any self-respecting husband would do. I listened to my spouse.
The shitter is, she was right. She had to go help our sister-in-law that day, but my friend and I got home, we hooked everything up and proceeded to have an absolute blast playing that game. It was only a couple weeks before I'd unlocked all the songs and decided to purchase Rock Band 2. Now, I'm completely addicted. In fact, that game has gone a way to convincing me to finally give in to my thoughts of actually learning how to play guitar. Let's not mince words, here. I don't want folks to think that because I'm addicted to Rock Band that I think I'll be a natural at guitar or any other instrument for that matter. I'm completely grounded in real life here. I know it's going to be challenging and frustrating, but I think I'm ready to take that plunge.
Oh, and because I mentioned it earlier, FIFA 09 is amazing!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Campeones! Campeones! Ole, Ole, Ole!
Last night saw the end of a 4-team round robin soccer tournament put on by the Philadelphia Falcons soccer club with my team, Soylent Green, coming out on top. I don't really care what anyone would have to say about the tournament as a whole. Sure, it was a predominantly friendly atmosphere to jazz up the normalcy of Wednesday night pick-up. This little 6-week outing ended up bringing the competitiveness out of every team in it. There were games that were absolute grinds, there were absolute blow-outs and there were a couple of downright thrillers to participate in.
We may not have gotten a trophy at the end of it all, but I think I achieved some growth as a player, especially in the defensive department. I feel that my ability to see the progression of an attack coming at me grew exponentially, especially in the final game against the yellow team. Unfortunately, the only 2 wrong steps I made ended up being goals. There were a couple of moments where I was able to get on the ball and try a few things, which I'm also happy about. I hope another little tournament like this happens again. It really was good fun to play in it. I'd say that even if my team hadn't won it.
Credit to all members of Soylent Green. We ROCKED!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
On Going to Spain, Movie Watching and a Little Bit of Antonio Gaudi
For those who don't really know, I've been toying with the idea of moving to Spain over the past couple of years. For those back home whom haven't heard me mention this, yeah it's true. No, I've never been there and the best Spanish I can muster is from broken, faded memories of taking the class in high school. In fact, I can't really say I have a whole lot of reason behind the idea, if boil it down to brass tacks. Nor do I have any plan, were I to actually go through with it.
So, what's the deal with Spain? Why not move back closer to home or just another city? Truth be told, I feel the need for a complete revamp of the world around me. I've lived here for almost 6 years and, while it's given me a tremendous amount of good things (the absolute perfect wife, great friends which led to greater opportunities and plenty of life experience), I can't get around the idea of what a completely different frame of mind would show me about this world of ours.
Will it happen? I'm not sure. But I knew I wanted to move here in order to be with the woman I love and that couldn't have worked out better. So it's possible.
This past weekend, we sat down and watched Antonio Gaudi. A film by one of my favorite Japanese directors, Hiroshi Teshigahara. Now, I'm not going to say that anyone should run out and watch this film. It's not even really a film, but an unobtrusive tour through the work of who many call the greatest architect in history. This film is essentially 98% silent. There's a score, but there's no narration, explanation or verbal insight into the absolute beautiful work that is shown on screen. The only dialogue comes near the end when an old man (I believe a colleague of Gaudi) briefly goes into detail about the Sagrada Familia.
Now, I don't know thing one about architecture. I barely understand art in general. I think I can feign a certain amount of intellect in terms of music and movies, but I don't know much. Bearing all that in mind along with the hesitance I had as this film got rolling, this was actually an easier watch than one could expect. The absence of the most necessary details required in a documentary (see the prior paragraph) actually gives the audience a bit of freedom. We were able to comment on his style, notice little details, pause at our leisure or go back to a previous shot without feeling like we're interrupting something.
***A little side note: I detest doing all the things I just mentioned during a movie. I prefer to just take it all in as it comes. I'll go back only during foreign films in instances, though very rare, wher the subtitles are moving to fast. All that aside, with this film being the way it was, these things I can't stand just felt natural. Now, I'll return to what I was talking about.***
In this film you see all of Gaudi's major works including Casa Vicens, La Pedrera, Palau Guell, Casa Batllo and the Barcelona icon, the Sagrada Familia. Teshigahara's camera gives each work an admirable gaze from many angles and set-ups with the kind of attention to detail that immortalized this artist on film when it was made in the 80s. Gaudi's style operates on the principles of nature. His columns resemble trees more than support structures, the shapes of rooms resemble caves and he was unafraid to try anything new. Nothing of his looks typical or normal, but all of his work is visually alive and all the details pull the eye over the entire surface with out looking messy. If anything, this film sort of added to my desire to live in Spain so I can see what these look like with my own eyes.
What's most interesting to me as film nut, is how appropriate this film's maker and its subject seem perfect for earch other. Hiroshi Teshigahara made films of astounding quality, but in a manner that is as equally off-kilter as their essential premise. His visual style is brilliant, the screenwriting is poetic and the music is eerie and otherworldly. Of course, he's only one third of the trifecta that included Kobo Abe (screenwriter) and Toru Takemitsu (composer). The Criterion Collection put out a box set (The aptly titled Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara) that brings together the three films put together by these 3 individuals. Pitfall, the masterpiece Woman in the Dunes, and Face of Another with an additional disc of supplements paint a picture of the filmmaker almost as an Antonio Gaudi of cinema and all (except maybe the supplements) are completely worth the watch.
This is where I completely fail as a critic: I can talk about why I like something forever. I'm not all that great at selling it. I don't know why, but it's always something that's been lost on me. If anyone reads this, they probably won't want to go to their friends/family/significant other and say, "Hey! Let's watch a movie with no dialogue that showcases the work of an architect from Spain!" If it does happen, I'll shut my mouth.
So, what's the deal with Spain? Why not move back closer to home or just another city? Truth be told, I feel the need for a complete revamp of the world around me. I've lived here for almost 6 years and, while it's given me a tremendous amount of good things (the absolute perfect wife, great friends which led to greater opportunities and plenty of life experience), I can't get around the idea of what a completely different frame of mind would show me about this world of ours.
Will it happen? I'm not sure. But I knew I wanted to move here in order to be with the woman I love and that couldn't have worked out better. So it's possible.
This past weekend, we sat down and watched Antonio Gaudi. A film by one of my favorite Japanese directors, Hiroshi Teshigahara. Now, I'm not going to say that anyone should run out and watch this film. It's not even really a film, but an unobtrusive tour through the work of who many call the greatest architect in history. This film is essentially 98% silent. There's a score, but there's no narration, explanation or verbal insight into the absolute beautiful work that is shown on screen. The only dialogue comes near the end when an old man (I believe a colleague of Gaudi) briefly goes into detail about the Sagrada Familia.
Now, I don't know thing one about architecture. I barely understand art in general. I think I can feign a certain amount of intellect in terms of music and movies, but I don't know much. Bearing all that in mind along with the hesitance I had as this film got rolling, this was actually an easier watch than one could expect. The absence of the most necessary details required in a documentary (see the prior paragraph) actually gives the audience a bit of freedom. We were able to comment on his style, notice little details, pause at our leisure or go back to a previous shot without feeling like we're interrupting something.
***A little side note: I detest doing all the things I just mentioned during a movie. I prefer to just take it all in as it comes. I'll go back only during foreign films in instances, though very rare, wher the subtitles are moving to fast. All that aside, with this film being the way it was, these things I can't stand just felt natural. Now, I'll return to what I was talking about.***
In this film you see all of Gaudi's major works including Casa Vicens, La Pedrera, Palau Guell, Casa Batllo and the Barcelona icon, the Sagrada Familia. Teshigahara's camera gives each work an admirable gaze from many angles and set-ups with the kind of attention to detail that immortalized this artist on film when it was made in the 80s. Gaudi's style operates on the principles of nature. His columns resemble trees more than support structures, the shapes of rooms resemble caves and he was unafraid to try anything new. Nothing of his looks typical or normal, but all of his work is visually alive and all the details pull the eye over the entire surface with out looking messy. If anything, this film sort of added to my desire to live in Spain so I can see what these look like with my own eyes.
What's most interesting to me as film nut, is how appropriate this film's maker and its subject seem perfect for earch other. Hiroshi Teshigahara made films of astounding quality, but in a manner that is as equally off-kilter as their essential premise. His visual style is brilliant, the screenwriting is poetic and the music is eerie and otherworldly. Of course, he's only one third of the trifecta that included Kobo Abe (screenwriter) and Toru Takemitsu (composer). The Criterion Collection put out a box set (The aptly titled Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara) that brings together the three films put together by these 3 individuals. Pitfall, the masterpiece Woman in the Dunes, and Face of Another with an additional disc of supplements paint a picture of the filmmaker almost as an Antonio Gaudi of cinema and all (except maybe the supplements) are completely worth the watch.
This is where I completely fail as a critic: I can talk about why I like something forever. I'm not all that great at selling it. I don't know why, but it's always something that's been lost on me. If anyone reads this, they probably won't want to go to their friends/family/significant other and say, "Hey! Let's watch a movie with no dialogue that showcases the work of an architect from Spain!" If it does happen, I'll shut my mouth.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Friday Thoughts on Politics (Unfinished)
It's Friday and I'm here to do a bit of writing. What purpose? Not sure. At the moment, for some odd reason, politics are weighing heavy in my head. No, this isn't going to be some manifesto or diatribe as to who's right or wrong. In fact, I'm at my absolute limit in terms of tolerance for any rhetorical bullshit from either side of our political system. Things in that arena have gotten so ridiculous that I'm starting to get convinced that my vote means absolutely dick.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to turn out and exercise my right in November. I'm actually going to vote for Barack Obama, if you're going to ask. That's my choice. Make your own and don't listen to whatever anyone wants to say about how wrong you are.
To be honest, I'm not sure Obama will be that good of a president and I'm not all too convinced that McCain will be that bad of one in terms of the choice laid before me. I actually think since our congress is democrat-controlled for the next 2 years, we have the best chance of getting anything done with a democrat heading up the executive branch. Does that mean loads of change and hope will rain from the heavens? Absolutely not. It could very well mean that the only thing that really changes is the salaries for senators and representatives for the next term. Still, I feel it right - however naive it may be - to put my faith in the system.
I do want to say that in terms of entertainment value, the republicans sure got their convention right. Like a trooper, Rudi Giuliani rode his 9/11 train into the sunset, Leiberman and Thompson really earned their respective Droopy the Dog and Foghorn Leghorn labels astutely given by The Daily Show and Sarah Palin placed herself high in the running for best stand-up performance in 2008 politics. I've never laughed so hard at what sounded like jilted sorority hobag rant in my life. The one republican I've come out of this respecting more than I thought I would is Mike Huckabee. Sure, the evangelism is...well, just that and, stemming from that, are a slew of ideals that border on fanatically hypocritical, but he had the balls to make Stephen Colbert his VP candidate if he got the nomination. That shows simultaneously a strength in character as well as a sense of humor and that he knew what the score was. Subsequently, every time I've seen him on TV doing an interview, he's shown his intelligence in terms of where everything else stands in this chaos that will decide who leads our country. Though I may not agree with him on creationism or his religion-imbued politics has become beside the point due to that.
Don't get me wrong, the democrats aren't exactly riding white horses to rescue our country from the problems we face. Their mudslinging is just as ridiculous, but nowhere near as funny. Barack Obama has the gravitas to keep people's attention and charisma to boot, but the democratic convention was like an awkward moment at a family reunion between sections that just don't like each other. Those with big families know where I'm coming from. Watching the Clinton's give their back-slapping, aren't humanity neat praises to Obama was just weird.
What's more is, and I could be very wrong on this next statement, there doesn't really seem to be an overt direction with this shouting from the mountains for hope and change. That's what scares me more than anything. The one thing I've always noticed about republicans is their sense of discipline towards their party. Now, becuase of the acrimony of Clinton supporters, democrats could once again spend from September to November tearing each other limb from limb while McCain just focuses on his core constituents and waltzes into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January.
If I offended anyone in the previous writing, I do sincerely apologize. I never claimed to know anything about what's happening in our country, nor be an expert on the subject. Just wanted to write. Unfortunately, it'll remain unfinished because it's time for me to go home.
Peace y'all.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to turn out and exercise my right in November. I'm actually going to vote for Barack Obama, if you're going to ask. That's my choice. Make your own and don't listen to whatever anyone wants to say about how wrong you are.
To be honest, I'm not sure Obama will be that good of a president and I'm not all too convinced that McCain will be that bad of one in terms of the choice laid before me. I actually think since our congress is democrat-controlled for the next 2 years, we have the best chance of getting anything done with a democrat heading up the executive branch. Does that mean loads of change and hope will rain from the heavens? Absolutely not. It could very well mean that the only thing that really changes is the salaries for senators and representatives for the next term. Still, I feel it right - however naive it may be - to put my faith in the system.
I do want to say that in terms of entertainment value, the republicans sure got their convention right. Like a trooper, Rudi Giuliani rode his 9/11 train into the sunset, Leiberman and Thompson really earned their respective Droopy the Dog and Foghorn Leghorn labels astutely given by The Daily Show and Sarah Palin placed herself high in the running for best stand-up performance in 2008 politics. I've never laughed so hard at what sounded like jilted sorority hobag rant in my life. The one republican I've come out of this respecting more than I thought I would is Mike Huckabee. Sure, the evangelism is...well, just that and, stemming from that, are a slew of ideals that border on fanatically hypocritical, but he had the balls to make Stephen Colbert his VP candidate if he got the nomination. That shows simultaneously a strength in character as well as a sense of humor and that he knew what the score was. Subsequently, every time I've seen him on TV doing an interview, he's shown his intelligence in terms of where everything else stands in this chaos that will decide who leads our country. Though I may not agree with him on creationism or his religion-imbued politics has become beside the point due to that.
Don't get me wrong, the democrats aren't exactly riding white horses to rescue our country from the problems we face. Their mudslinging is just as ridiculous, but nowhere near as funny. Barack Obama has the gravitas to keep people's attention and charisma to boot, but the democratic convention was like an awkward moment at a family reunion between sections that just don't like each other. Those with big families know where I'm coming from. Watching the Clinton's give their back-slapping, aren't humanity neat praises to Obama was just weird.
What's more is, and I could be very wrong on this next statement, there doesn't really seem to be an overt direction with this shouting from the mountains for hope and change. That's what scares me more than anything. The one thing I've always noticed about republicans is their sense of discipline towards their party. Now, becuase of the acrimony of Clinton supporters, democrats could once again spend from September to November tearing each other limb from limb while McCain just focuses on his core constituents and waltzes into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January.
If I offended anyone in the previous writing, I do sincerely apologize. I never claimed to know anything about what's happening in our country, nor be an expert on the subject. Just wanted to write. Unfortunately, it'll remain unfinished because it's time for me to go home.
Peace y'all.
Monday, July 28, 2008
It May Not Be the Best, But I Think it's My Favorite...
Saturday saw me finish The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess. It's the first Wii game I've bested (I bought the Wii and the game in May) and this franchise, once again has demonstrated its ability to sweep me away in wonderment. With the exception of the GameCube's Wind Waker and the myriad of Zelda titles that have popped up on portables over the years, I've taken care of them all. From the games humbly amazing origins on the old NES and its not-nearly-as-good first sequel through Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. If I've missed important events in the series by what I've not played, I don't care.
This one, while not the masterpiece of gaming in both innovation and entertainment that Ocarina of Time was 10 years ago chose its path very wisely and became, in my opinion, the most entertaining Zelda game ever. In the 10 years since playing and finishing the N64 title (I don't remember Majora's Mask all that well), I've grown a bit and changed as a person, but playing Twilight Princess proved that the creators had, with few exceptions, decided to grow the franchise as well. Here we get fabulously shot cutscenes that don't overstay their welcome and take a darker, more adult edge at times. There are great characters from the kids of Ordon Village to Midna (though she gets annoying at times) and the abominable snow couple. The enemies are throwback (as they should be) to previous games, but this time they actually look like living things as opposed to cartoon-ish as they've been in the past. Hyrule is a vast, dangerous and wonderous world full of life and you can go almost everywhere in it. The levels themselves take on the traditional map/puzzle format with, usually, a mini-boss and a boss. Defeating the former usually yields an item, while defeating the latter earns a heart container. What makes this game a joy is that the levels are thoroughly engaging and the puzzles are challenging and the design is amoung the best I've seen ever in a video game. Mind you, I wouldn't consider myself a gamer.
The issues I have with the game are almost nitpicky. Gamers don't need to hear Midna's whining for the duration of Link being a wolf. On the same token, the next great leap - not only for this franchise, but across Nintendo's core franchises - is giving a voice to these characters. Maybe Link doesn't need to speak, but seriously, the script for this game was one of Nintendo's better creations in a while, spoken dialogue would've pushed it into the pantheon reached by Ocarina of Time and beyond. Super Mario Galaxy would benefit the same way (I'm working on that one right now). I also think the bosses of each level could've been a bit more lethal if possible. I found myself not really dying against any of them. I'd get hit here and there, but I was pushed to that edge where losing that last ounce of life was at stake. The last little gripe I have is in terms of scoring - Galaxy benefited from this exponentially over every other Mario title because the music, though still repetitive is surprisingly inviting. Move away from highly produced midi arrangements. They aren't easy on the ears and lose their luster rather quickly.
While I'm sure I've not gone into the amount of detail required to give this title proper due, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess further continues this franchise in fine style with its ability to entertain the kids while being equally inviting for adults. It utilized the gimickry of the Wii controller so intuitively that it was easy to get used to. Thumbs way up on this one. Honestly, I think that I'll probably beat it again. For all of its flaws, I had more fun looking and playing this than any Zelda previously.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
And Now for Something Completely Different...
July is winding to a debilitatingly humid close this year and every time I step outside work its like a wall just drops on me. At least I remember the humidity back home being a lot worse. That's a little heartening.
Enough with the small talk though, I'm not sure where this writing's going to go. I just sort of started with no clear intent and am going to see what happens. Nothing all that new to report really. We saw Hellboy II: The Golden Army last weekend. I must say that it's amazing how far comic movies have come. I was clearly the sole member of a minority that thought it was better than the first in our group. I don't think it was without flaws, there were plenty. The love stories of any of the characters didn't really work, but I don't think they were intended to draw people in. I think they were there solely as plot devices for character motivation. On that level they did work, because they provided a reason for everything to push forward. Hellboy's snappy one-liners in the action sequences as well as conversations were lacking the wit they seemed to have in the first installment. In fact, the dialogue as whole was a bit shoddy. After all, it's still a super hero flick.
Flaws aside, here's why it succeeded for me: this time around, the plot was constructed not in the manner of hero vs. villain (even though that element is the premise), but rather more in the vein of the second installment in a fantasy trilogy. Where the first film showed the audience who these characters are and the world they live in, this one shows them playing around and exploring in that world. Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz and Manning were all well-established and developed in the first film. Now, they just seem to play around in their personas. Guillermo Del Toro's experience with Pan's Labyrinth has heightened his visual style and sensibility yielding some of his most creative ideas in this film.
Backtracking slightly to the whole fantasy idea - I never really wrapped that one up - here the main characters are thrust into an odyssey of sorts very similar to the second installment of Lord of the Rings or Star Wars here the characters go through trails and have to figure out and make decisions based on who they are. That's something that's not easy to do in the confines of the hero film. Looking back, there are really only 2 hero films that I can think of that did it well: Spiderman 2 and Batman Returns. That worked from a critical standpoint for the former, but the latter was pretty much a failure for critics and audiences, but my memory may be mistaken. Hellboy II takes an intellectual high ground with the fantasy angle, but also a shortcut because, at its core this is all sci-fi/fantasy and the rigidity of audience expectation may not allow for this kind of change. I'm biting off more than I can chew here because I'm a film lover and not too experienced in film criticism. Either way, I loved it. I hope whoever else may see it does as well.
In other news, Sporting Philly has actually had a great summer season thus far. Our first game had the potential of shenanigans because 2 players left without much notice, but it was a friendly affair. Probably one of the more good-spirited games I've played in. Our second game was plagued with a late start and a long halftime because of a rugby tournament that made mistakes of not playing on their correct fields. We drew 0-0, but should've scored at least 4 times. Luck wasn't on our side at all. However, I still wonder how a dude on the other team got man of the match. Their keeper, the only one eligible at that point didn't do anything impressive and had all the post assistance he could handle. They only had one clear shot on goal and never really made it out of their own half. I can't really say who should've been the MVP, but it wasn't one of them. Then there was game 3, we started with 8 players and others came late. I started out in goal and did ok for my first competitive game appearance in that position. I let in one, but I should've stopped it. Then Zaire went on a tear and played the game of his life. He only scored once, but he was essential in our 3-1 win.
Then there's our new logo (above) that was designed by my wife. I think she did an amazing job on rather short notice. She rocks. I personally think she did a great job in incorporating the Liberty Bell into Sporting Lisbon's crest. Sure it could be called a rip-off, but still. It didn't take her very long and she didn't even have to do it in the first place. I personally love it.
Then it comes to music. Not much all that revelatory here. I'm working on getting more staff for the newswire at mxdwn.com. I've posted 2 reviews (Explosions in the Sky's All of A Sudden, I Miss Everyone and Wolf Parade's At Mount Zoomer) recently and am working on the reissue of U2's The Joshua Tree
and K-Os' Atlantis: Hymns for Disco concurrently at the moment. The latter's not all that great and the former is a masterpiece with a bunch of unnecessary bells and whistles attached. Other than that, my time with mxdwn.com is always good and I still enjoy doing it.
As for the subject of what I'm listening to, I've found it really hard to escape 2007. There were so many great things that came out of last year that 2008 really seems a bit of a downer. The potential that Black Kids showed on their EP Wizard of Ahhhs was completely passed over on their debut full-length Partie Traumatic. Sure, it was the entire EP plus other unabashed guitar/synth pop that owed much to The Cure that sounded pretty, but the best songs were the 4 that came from the EP. Wolf Parade's sophomore effort proved to be better than 2004's uber-acclaimed Apologies to the Queen Mary and No Age, with Nouns, more than trumped last year's Weirdo Rippers, a collection of their 7"-only EP tracks that made me amoung others stand up and take notice. There are plenty others that I've been digging this year. Here's a list in no particular order:
1. Air France - No Way Down
2. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
3. No Age - Nouns
4. El Guincho - Alegranza
5. Headlights - Some Racing, Some Stopping
6. Portishead - Third - Probably the most perfect album released this year.
7. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
8. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
9. British Sea Power - Do you Like Rock Music?
10. Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
There are plenty more, but my memory is kind of shot.
The only other thing I can really mention is that I'm so bored with football not going on. The season starts August 16th and it can't come soon enough.
Peace y'all.
Enough with the small talk though, I'm not sure where this writing's going to go. I just sort of started with no clear intent and am going to see what happens. Nothing all that new to report really. We saw Hellboy II: The Golden Army last weekend. I must say that it's amazing how far comic movies have come. I was clearly the sole member of a minority that thought it was better than the first in our group. I don't think it was without flaws, there were plenty. The love stories of any of the characters didn't really work, but I don't think they were intended to draw people in. I think they were there solely as plot devices for character motivation. On that level they did work, because they provided a reason for everything to push forward. Hellboy's snappy one-liners in the action sequences as well as conversations were lacking the wit they seemed to have in the first installment. In fact, the dialogue as whole was a bit shoddy. After all, it's still a super hero flick.
Flaws aside, here's why it succeeded for me: this time around, the plot was constructed not in the manner of hero vs. villain (even though that element is the premise), but rather more in the vein of the second installment in a fantasy trilogy. Where the first film showed the audience who these characters are and the world they live in, this one shows them playing around and exploring in that world. Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz and Manning were all well-established and developed in the first film. Now, they just seem to play around in their personas. Guillermo Del Toro's experience with Pan's Labyrinth has heightened his visual style and sensibility yielding some of his most creative ideas in this film.
Backtracking slightly to the whole fantasy idea - I never really wrapped that one up - here the main characters are thrust into an odyssey of sorts very similar to the second installment of Lord of the Rings or Star Wars here the characters go through trails and have to figure out and make decisions based on who they are. That's something that's not easy to do in the confines of the hero film. Looking back, there are really only 2 hero films that I can think of that did it well: Spiderman 2 and Batman Returns. That worked from a critical standpoint for the former, but the latter was pretty much a failure for critics and audiences, but my memory may be mistaken. Hellboy II takes an intellectual high ground with the fantasy angle, but also a shortcut because, at its core this is all sci-fi/fantasy and the rigidity of audience expectation may not allow for this kind of change. I'm biting off more than I can chew here because I'm a film lover and not too experienced in film criticism. Either way, I loved it. I hope whoever else may see it does as well.
In other news, Sporting Philly has actually had a great summer season thus far. Our first game had the potential of shenanigans because 2 players left without much notice, but it was a friendly affair. Probably one of the more good-spirited games I've played in. Our second game was plagued with a late start and a long halftime because of a rugby tournament that made mistakes of not playing on their correct fields. We drew 0-0, but should've scored at least 4 times. Luck wasn't on our side at all. However, I still wonder how a dude on the other team got man of the match. Their keeper, the only one eligible at that point didn't do anything impressive and had all the post assistance he could handle. They only had one clear shot on goal and never really made it out of their own half. I can't really say who should've been the MVP, but it wasn't one of them. Then there was game 3, we started with 8 players and others came late. I started out in goal and did ok for my first competitive game appearance in that position. I let in one, but I should've stopped it. Then Zaire went on a tear and played the game of his life. He only scored once, but he was essential in our 3-1 win.
Then there's our new logo (above) that was designed by my wife. I think she did an amazing job on rather short notice. She rocks. I personally think she did a great job in incorporating the Liberty Bell into Sporting Lisbon's crest. Sure it could be called a rip-off, but still. It didn't take her very long and she didn't even have to do it in the first place. I personally love it.
Then it comes to music. Not much all that revelatory here. I'm working on getting more staff for the newswire at mxdwn.com. I've posted 2 reviews (Explosions in the Sky's All of A Sudden, I Miss Everyone and Wolf Parade's At Mount Zoomer) recently and am working on the reissue of U2's The Joshua Tree
and K-Os' Atlantis: Hymns for Disco concurrently at the moment. The latter's not all that great and the former is a masterpiece with a bunch of unnecessary bells and whistles attached. Other than that, my time with mxdwn.com is always good and I still enjoy doing it.
As for the subject of what I'm listening to, I've found it really hard to escape 2007. There were so many great things that came out of last year that 2008 really seems a bit of a downer. The potential that Black Kids showed on their EP Wizard of Ahhhs was completely passed over on their debut full-length Partie Traumatic. Sure, it was the entire EP plus other unabashed guitar/synth pop that owed much to The Cure that sounded pretty, but the best songs were the 4 that came from the EP. Wolf Parade's sophomore effort proved to be better than 2004's uber-acclaimed Apologies to the Queen Mary and No Age, with Nouns, more than trumped last year's Weirdo Rippers, a collection of their 7"-only EP tracks that made me amoung others stand up and take notice. There are plenty others that I've been digging this year. Here's a list in no particular order:
1. Air France - No Way Down
2. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
3. No Age - Nouns
4. El Guincho - Alegranza
5. Headlights - Some Racing, Some Stopping
6. Portishead - Third - Probably the most perfect album released this year.
7. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
8. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
9. British Sea Power - Do you Like Rock Music?
10. Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
There are plenty more, but my memory is kind of shot.
The only other thing I can really mention is that I'm so bored with football not going on. The season starts August 16th and it can't come soon enough.
Peace y'all.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Farewell, My Friend...I'll Never Forget You
It's been a long time since I posted anything here. I wonder if anyone checks this anymore. Did they ever? Probably not, but I have to return with sad news. Our dog, Brixton left us on Saturday, July 29th. After 2 and a half weeks, I still wake up looking for him.
In my life, I've had many best friends leave me. I think I've even left a few myself. To those whom I've left or have gone away, I still remember you and will do so always. I remember the good times and the bad, but that's life. It's a double-edged sword that serves up sweet as much as sour, if not more of one than another. Unfortunately, we have no choice which one to eat. We have to take what's given and get on with it.
Brixton came to us via my sister-in-law and her friend on cold November 29, 2006. I still remember the night. I'm involved in an intense game of FIFA 07 and the doorbell rings. Next thing I know, Diana shouts excitedly from the door, "Look what we got!" I was frustrated at the game because I was losing, so I turn expecting something insignificant and see nothing more than an eight-week old brindle boxer running as fast as his tiny legs will carry him towards me looking as happy as he could be. Immediately, everything else disappeared. I'll never forget how happy my wife was to see him. She was even happy when he peed on the rug. We knew he was one of us right away. He jumped up on our shins and into our laps, licked our faces and stole our hearts in one short night.
We named him Brixton after where my favorite band formed (I'm glad that my wife agreed with this) and one of the first full days I spent with him, I actually just listened to music and played with him. We'd take time to just sit for a bit and he would stare attentively at the speakers leading me to believe he was even okay with the name as well as the music that spawned it. He sat with us as we watched movies, tv and on weekends he would wake up with me, I'd take him out, give him his food and he would watch football with me all day long. He was there for me when I was at my most scared and most happy and, no matter what, he always wanted to make everything better.
We were there in his best and worst times too. When he was fixed, all we wanted to do was make him feel better. When we found out he had a heart condition, we tried everything we could to keep him as calm as possible. He had Boxer Cardiomyopathy (if that's spelled right), which is basically additional heartbeats that shouldn't be there. For this, he had to take medication everyday. We found that out when he was fixed. Subsequently, he collapsed because of that condition and his heart problems really became at the forefront of our thoughts. We saw cardiologists that said he's contracting this at amoung the youngest ages they've ever seen. He had to wear a Holter monitor over a weekend which made him look like a terrorist with a bomb strapped to his back which was another heart-wrenching experience for us. He hated to see us leave the house when he had that on him and all we did all we could to let him know that he was a good dog and that we loved him. From outsider eyes, this seems to sound a bit crazy, but Brixton was worth every penny of every doctor bill and the cost of every ounce of food and the annoyance of every squeaky toy we ever bought him.
In my life, I've had many best friends leave me. I think I've even left a few myself. To those whom I've left or have gone away, I still remember you and will do so always. I remember the good times and the bad, but that's life. It's a double-edged sword that serves up sweet as much as sour, if not more of one than another. Unfortunately, we have no choice which one to eat. We have to take what's given and get on with it.
Brixton came to us via my sister-in-law and her friend on cold November 29, 2006. I still remember the night. I'm involved in an intense game of FIFA 07 and the doorbell rings. Next thing I know, Diana shouts excitedly from the door, "Look what we got!" I was frustrated at the game because I was losing, so I turn expecting something insignificant and see nothing more than an eight-week old brindle boxer running as fast as his tiny legs will carry him towards me looking as happy as he could be. Immediately, everything else disappeared. I'll never forget how happy my wife was to see him. She was even happy when he peed on the rug. We knew he was one of us right away. He jumped up on our shins and into our laps, licked our faces and stole our hearts in one short night.
We named him Brixton after where my favorite band formed (I'm glad that my wife agreed with this) and one of the first full days I spent with him, I actually just listened to music and played with him. We'd take time to just sit for a bit and he would stare attentively at the speakers leading me to believe he was even okay with the name as well as the music that spawned it. He sat with us as we watched movies, tv and on weekends he would wake up with me, I'd take him out, give him his food and he would watch football with me all day long. He was there for me when I was at my most scared and most happy and, no matter what, he always wanted to make everything better.
We were there in his best and worst times too. When he was fixed, all we wanted to do was make him feel better. When we found out he had a heart condition, we tried everything we could to keep him as calm as possible. He had Boxer Cardiomyopathy (if that's spelled right), which is basically additional heartbeats that shouldn't be there. For this, he had to take medication everyday. We found that out when he was fixed. Subsequently, he collapsed because of that condition and his heart problems really became at the forefront of our thoughts. We saw cardiologists that said he's contracting this at amoung the youngest ages they've ever seen. He had to wear a Holter monitor over a weekend which made him look like a terrorist with a bomb strapped to his back which was another heart-wrenching experience for us. He hated to see us leave the house when he had that on him and all we did all we could to let him know that he was a good dog and that we loved him. From outsider eyes, this seems to sound a bit crazy, but Brixton was worth every penny of every doctor bill and the cost of every ounce of food and the annoyance of every squeaky toy we ever bought him.
Then on June 29th, he collapsed and just didn't wake up. Diana saw him collapse and called for me. I got into the room to comfort him. I started petting him and trying to console him before we took him to the emergency room. I watched his eyes as he looked at me, gave one last, strained whimper as if saying "I wish I didn't have to say goodbye."
I wish I knew what he was thinking...now that I look back. I'd like to know what he thought of us, our friends, the neighborhood, the fact that the dog park near our house closed. Did he enjoy our company as much as we did his? Most of the time, this is just blind faith and hope. The fact that he still came to us when we called should probably be an indicator, but I'd still like to know more. I still wish that he'll be there when I get home from work, I still look for him when he doesn't come to the door and I still here him walking around our apartment when it's all quiet. I also still look at his collar and remember his expressive face staring back at me.
Last Friday night, I watched Errol Morris' Gates of Heaven. Still the best documentary I've ever seen, by the end I was in tears as these individuals speak of their deceased pets, estranged kids and problems with their pets' graves being moved. Despite the corniest analogies of this idea, I found the experience very therapeutic. In the one of the closing montages that shows the headstones of the graves, I lost all composure when it cut to a headstone that read, "I knew love because I knew this dog." Indeed and I'll remember it forever. I know that I've probably not shed my last tears in rememberance of Brixton, but that the year and 7 months he was in my life were full. He got to see the ocean, he had a girlfriend Lily, he got to play with Tasha and Alley, he got to try some good beer and he had 2 owners and several of our friends and family that loved him. Not bad for a puppy.
You Can Crush Us, You Can Bruise Us, But You'll Have to Answer to..."Brixton"
10/7/2006 - 6/29/2008
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