It's been a pretty crappy week here in the (not really that) exciting world of Mike. The other day we got a phone call - a great man and a dear friend passed away. I knew John Braun and his wife Esther first through church, then through working together at Donwood manor here in Winnipeg a few summers ago. John and Esther were caretakers there and showed me the ropes. They were generous.
John had one of the deepest, loudest voices I've ever heard. Never scary-loud, always warm and friendly and inviting. It was perfect for reading aloud. Wheverever he would see me, he'd smile and call out "How you doing, Michael." Part of me is sad I'll never hear that again; another part of me knows I'll always hear it; in fact, I can hear it now.
The other crappy news is that an English professor, a fixture in this department, is not long for this world. Robin Hoople had retired from active teaching before I arrived at the UM, but his door was always open and he was always interested in how people were doing.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
What in the world has happened to me?
Seems someone came along and pooped on my pity-party. It's funny that when you feel yourself getting down with stupid stuff, something comes along and makes you realize how meaningless it all is. For me, it was an email I got a few minutes ago: my sister's going to Arizona.
Now some people might think, "She's so lucky. Nice hot weather." Others might think, "Ugh, hot weather." But I haven't thought much about stuff like weather (other than to type those last two sentences. My sister's going to Arizona for a reason... to battle her eating disorder. And I can't imagine being more proud of her.
Now some people might think, "She's so lucky. Nice hot weather." Others might think, "Ugh, hot weather." But I haven't thought much about stuff like weather (other than to type those last two sentences. My sister's going to Arizona for a reason... to battle her eating disorder. And I can't imagine being more proud of her.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
It's not a love, it's not a love, it's a love song
As Cindy Lauper said, "Confusion is nothing new."
I find people genuinely confusing. I mean, I'm not a stupid person, I don't think, but shouldn't I be able to figure out people's likely moods and attitudes based on previous conversations and encounters? I mean, if someone almost falls off their bike waving to you one day, is it unreasonable to assume they'll, I don't know, talk to you, treat you human, another day?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking to overthrow the social order and have everyone be my friend; I'm not trying to thrust myself in the popularity spotlight: I just want a little consistency. Example: with my wife's 2 month stress-leave sabbatical, I won't see a whole group of people. You think telling tell people "won't see you until August" might have registered something a bit more profound than the "Oh, really?" I got.
Meh, whatever. So, it's full speed ahead on the thesis. My advisor seems to really like where I'm taking this whole project. He's been amazing with the encouragement and the suggestions. I not only feel good about it, I don't even have a sense of dread. The last conversation left me excited. For the first time in a long time I felt like I was doing something exciting and interesting. For the past few months whether people ask what I'm writing about I feel like I'm going to put myself to sleep describing it. Right now I feel pumped. Well, as pumped as I ever feel.
I find people genuinely confusing. I mean, I'm not a stupid person, I don't think, but shouldn't I be able to figure out people's likely moods and attitudes based on previous conversations and encounters? I mean, if someone almost falls off their bike waving to you one day, is it unreasonable to assume they'll, I don't know, talk to you, treat you human, another day?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking to overthrow the social order and have everyone be my friend; I'm not trying to thrust myself in the popularity spotlight: I just want a little consistency. Example: with my wife's 2 month stress-leave sabbatical, I won't see a whole group of people. You think telling tell people "won't see you until August" might have registered something a bit more profound than the "Oh, really?" I got.
Meh, whatever. So, it's full speed ahead on the thesis. My advisor seems to really like where I'm taking this whole project. He's been amazing with the encouragement and the suggestions. I not only feel good about it, I don't even have a sense of dread. The last conversation left me excited. For the first time in a long time I felt like I was doing something exciting and interesting. For the past few months whether people ask what I'm writing about I feel like I'm going to put myself to sleep describing it. Right now I feel pumped. Well, as pumped as I ever feel.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
It'll all work out eventually,
Better off with him than here with me
It's a gray day. The sky's overcast. It might be raining. I can't tell for sure.
I'm sitting here in my new office. It's a big, bright room over looking much of the university. My desk faces three large windows. With the gloomy day, it's not too bad, but yesterday, with its abundance of sunshine, it was a little like staring into the sun. I didn't get much in the way of natural light in my hovel (or "hole" - thanks Abby) of an office.
Along with the sunshine, I have a little round conference table and 4 chairs all to myself. I don't foresee any visitors, so maybe I'll rotate the chairs myself so that at least they're being used.
I'm sitting here in my new office. It's a big, bright room over looking much of the university. My desk faces three large windows. With the gloomy day, it's not too bad, but yesterday, with its abundance of sunshine, it was a little like staring into the sun. I didn't get much in the way of natural light in my hovel (or "hole" - thanks Abby) of an office.
Along with the sunshine, I have a little round conference table and 4 chairs all to myself. I don't foresee any visitors, so maybe I'll rotate the chairs myself so that at least they're being used.
Monday, June 19, 2006
And the Sunday shines down on San Francisco Bay
I made the mistake of dating myself the other day. I met a friend's boyfriend after hearing about the poor guy for the better part of a year.
"So, you really do exist," I said. "I was beginning to think this was a Snuffleupagus thing."
I was met with a confused "Snuffleupaguses aren't real?" from my friend... And then I realized how things change.
See, when I watched Sesame (back in the 70s) Big Bird was the only person on the block who saw Snuffy. The adults would constantly (and conveniently) walk out of the room just as Snuffy appeared, teaching an entire generation of children frustration and disappointment. I'll never forget the episode that a sleepwalking Snuffy was spotted by Bob, but, alas, Snuffy had a sheet over his head (at least I think he was sleeping, maybe he was on his way to Klan rally) and Bob's description of a "big, white creature" didn't match up with Big Bird's friend. This same bait and switch technique was also employed on the Canadian hit "The Polka Dot Door" with the elusive Polkaroo. The main difference, however, was that the one host who stepped out actually believed in the existence of the Polkaroo and was disappointed not to have seen it... him... whatever the heck it was supposed to be.
Snuffy wasn't seen until 1985. I don't know if the Polkaroo was ever seen. When Snuffy's existence was finally revealed to the other characters it had something to do with abuse and child molestation, children not keeping secrets, or hanging around with hairy elephants or something... the 80s were a particularly paranoid time and, clearly, imaginary friends were not to be trusted.
But the whole Snuffleupagus thing got me thinking how much better my Sesame Street was then the Sesame of Street of later years.
We didn't have Elmo, a hyperactive plush toy with a speech impediment. Seriously, if Sesame Street is meant to teach children, what's the lesson with Elmo? Talk like a baby and people will think it's cute? We were happy to have Oscar, a green sock living in a trashcan.
We learned about death when Mr. Hooper died in 1982. Poor Mr. Hooper.
Luis and Maria? So the two Hispanic characters have to get married? When I watched Sesame Street Maria was hot for David, a black man who... actually just disappeared from the show.
There was no ambiguity as to Bert and Ernie's relationship. Grown men could be friends and roommates without labels and accusations.
Ah, simpler times.
"So, you really do exist," I said. "I was beginning to think this was a Snuffleupagus thing."
I was met with a confused "Snuffleupaguses aren't real?" from my friend... And then I realized how things change.
See, when I watched Sesame (back in the 70s) Big Bird was the only person on the block who saw Snuffy. The adults would constantly (and conveniently) walk out of the room just as Snuffy appeared, teaching an entire generation of children frustration and disappointment. I'll never forget the episode that a sleepwalking Snuffy was spotted by Bob, but, alas, Snuffy had a sheet over his head (at least I think he was sleeping, maybe he was on his way to Klan rally) and Bob's description of a "big, white creature" didn't match up with Big Bird's friend. This same bait and switch technique was also employed on the Canadian hit "The Polka Dot Door" with the elusive Polkaroo. The main difference, however, was that the one host who stepped out actually believed in the existence of the Polkaroo and was disappointed not to have seen it... him... whatever the heck it was supposed to be.
Snuffy wasn't seen until 1985. I don't know if the Polkaroo was ever seen. When Snuffy's existence was finally revealed to the other characters it had something to do with abuse and child molestation, children not keeping secrets, or hanging around with hairy elephants or something... the 80s were a particularly paranoid time and, clearly, imaginary friends were not to be trusted.
But the whole Snuffleupagus thing got me thinking how much better my Sesame Street was then the Sesame of Street of later years.
We didn't have Elmo, a hyperactive plush toy with a speech impediment. Seriously, if Sesame Street is meant to teach children, what's the lesson with Elmo? Talk like a baby and people will think it's cute? We were happy to have Oscar, a green sock living in a trashcan.
We learned about death when Mr. Hooper died in 1982. Poor Mr. Hooper.
Luis and Maria? So the two Hispanic characters have to get married? When I watched Sesame Street Maria was hot for David, a black man who... actually just disappeared from the show.
There was no ambiguity as to Bert and Ernie's relationship. Grown men could be friends and roommates without labels and accusations.
Ah, simpler times.
Friday, June 16, 2006
At the dark end of the street
I read an article on Audio Commentaries over at AVClub.com It identifies the 15 different types of Commentators you can get on a DVD. As someone who likes audio commentaries, and usually treasures the insights of directors, actors and film critics, I found the whole thing pretty funny. There are "types" - the Academic, the Party crew, the Indifferent Cast members - but I think audio commentaries are one of the things that make DVD such a great format. Sure there's more than enough examples of directors with no sense of historical proportion talking about their films, or hacks who talk about their grade Z flick like it's Citizen Kane, but sometimes those make for fun commentaries too. So, in light of the article, I thought I'd run through a few of my favourite audio commentaries. So, in no particular order.
1) Brief Encounter, w/ Bruce Eder. The AVClub would cast Eder's thorough and insightful commentary into the Irritating Academic Category, but he adds so much to the film in regards to contextualizing the material.
2) Goonies, w/ director Richard Donner, Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen , Kerri Green, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, Jonathan Ke Quan. Forget about the fact the 2/3 of these former child actors fell off the face of the earth; forget about the fact that Astin leaves part way through the film and NEVER COMES BACK: this train-wreck of an audio commentary is worth listening to in order to hear Cory Feldmen yell EVERYTHING HE SAYS! You'd think a guy who spent a good part of the 90s dressed up like his hero, Michael Jackson, would NOT be interested in drawing attention to himself.
3) "Buffy," "Angel," and/or "Firefly", w/ Joss Whedon. There are a number of different people who provide commentary on the Mutant Enemy titles (Marti Noxon, David Greenwalt, David Fury), but the episodes with Joss are usually the most insightful. Yes, the false humility-bordering-on-self-deprecating gets a little old, but when he's talking about the show it's clear that he knows what he wants to do and how to do it. Few shows developed season-long story-arches as well (or, frankly, at all) as Joss Whedon shows. To hear Joss explain his vision is a treat. If only he'd tell a little bit more about SMG! I mean, she's rarely mentioned in the commentaries (except how hard she works) and she's NEVER featured in the blooper reel... What's the story, Whedon!
4) "Freak and Geeks" w/ cast. "Freaks and Geeks" was a great show. The DVD set is worth a purchase for the audio commentaries if nothing else. Some tracks are basic "director/writer" stuff, but the real gems are the ones with cast commentary, because time and again people bring up the self-perceived sexual prowess of one Samm Levine!
Honestly, everyone mentions how Samm would always be found hitting on the ladies. That kid hit on anything with boobs. My favourite is a girl-cast only track where the ladies swap Levine stories. It is very, very funny.
5) Clerks w/ Kevin Smith, a bunch of other people you've never heard of, plus a very high, sometimes sleeping, Jason Mewes. Given Mewes long-documented history of drug abuse this probably should qualify as a cautionary tale of the dangers of narcotics... but it's just so damn funny. Recorded in a hotel room while they were shooting Mallrats, this commentary is like a high school party gone bad - people are incoherent, the stories ramble, no one seems to be at their best, and there are a bunch of people you can't figure out why they're there. I love that Kevin Smith has continued to use and include his New Jersey friends, but do I have to hear them on the audio commentary? There's one guy introduced as "the resident View Askew historian." Imagine being saddled with that title. Your friend creates a reasonably successful film and your claim to fame is remembering crap about that film? Ugh. Added to this are the innumerable references to people we don't know (or care about): DP Dave, Walt, the Skipper, Mary Anne, who cares? And a stoned Mewes nodding off and snoring during his own scenes is pretty funny.
1) Brief Encounter, w/ Bruce Eder. The AVClub would cast Eder's thorough and insightful commentary into the Irritating Academic Category, but he adds so much to the film in regards to contextualizing the material.
2) Goonies, w/ director Richard Donner, Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen , Kerri Green, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, Jonathan Ke Quan. Forget about the fact the 2/3 of these former child actors fell off the face of the earth; forget about the fact that Astin leaves part way through the film and NEVER COMES BACK: this train-wreck of an audio commentary is worth listening to in order to hear Cory Feldmen yell EVERYTHING HE SAYS! You'd think a guy who spent a good part of the 90s dressed up like his hero, Michael Jackson, would NOT be interested in drawing attention to himself.
3) "Buffy," "Angel," and/or "Firefly", w/ Joss Whedon. There are a number of different people who provide commentary on the Mutant Enemy titles (Marti Noxon, David Greenwalt, David Fury), but the episodes with Joss are usually the most insightful. Yes, the false humility-bordering-on-self-deprecating gets a little old, but when he's talking about the show it's clear that he knows what he wants to do and how to do it. Few shows developed season-long story-arches as well (or, frankly, at all) as Joss Whedon shows. To hear Joss explain his vision is a treat. If only he'd tell a little bit more about SMG! I mean, she's rarely mentioned in the commentaries (except how hard she works) and she's NEVER featured in the blooper reel... What's the story, Whedon!
4) "Freak and Geeks" w/ cast. "Freaks and Geeks" was a great show. The DVD set is worth a purchase for the audio commentaries if nothing else. Some tracks are basic "director/writer" stuff, but the real gems are the ones with cast commentary, because time and again people bring up the self-perceived sexual prowess of one Samm Levine!
Honestly, everyone mentions how Samm would always be found hitting on the ladies. That kid hit on anything with boobs. My favourite is a girl-cast only track where the ladies swap Levine stories. It is very, very funny.
5) Clerks w/ Kevin Smith, a bunch of other people you've never heard of, plus a very high, sometimes sleeping, Jason Mewes. Given Mewes long-documented history of drug abuse this probably should qualify as a cautionary tale of the dangers of narcotics... but it's just so damn funny. Recorded in a hotel room while they were shooting Mallrats, this commentary is like a high school party gone bad - people are incoherent, the stories ramble, no one seems to be at their best, and there are a bunch of people you can't figure out why they're there. I love that Kevin Smith has continued to use and include his New Jersey friends, but do I have to hear them on the audio commentary? There's one guy introduced as "the resident View Askew historian." Imagine being saddled with that title. Your friend creates a reasonably successful film and your claim to fame is remembering crap about that film? Ugh. Added to this are the innumerable references to people we don't know (or care about): DP Dave, Walt, the Skipper, Mary Anne, who cares? And a stoned Mewes nodding off and snoring during his own scenes is pretty funny.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
It's the same old song, but with a different meaning since you've been gone
I've never been able to get down with things that are popular. I have unique tastes. I understand this, and have chosen to live with the consequences. Usually those consequences are minor: being unable to have even a vague conversation about shows like “Everyone Loves Raymond” or “Will and Grace” or putting up with raised eyebrows and snickering when I talk about shows like “MST 3K”. Nothing serious. In fact, the people I tend to hang out with have their own unique tastes – they’re not the same as mine, but we come from the common ground of understanding.
When I started university, I lived in dorm and the consequences are a bit more pronounced. "Trying" doesn't even begin to describe the experience. Whenever I'd go down to the lounge to watch something on TV, I was reminded that I don't have the same tastes that other people have: I don't watch hockey, I don't like sports, and the idea of watching porn in a ROOM FULL OF OTHER GUYS... well, let's just say that that's hardly my idea of fun. Occasionally I'd find myself alone in the lounge and able to watch what I wanted. However when one of my floormates stumbled in drunk, I'd be forced to explain why I was watching a samurai film, lucha libre or anime. "What's this *#!%?" became sort of a greeting.
As I was walking home the other night I was suddenly struck with a feeling I hadn't really felt since those days in Willison Hall - that I have nothing in common with the people around me. It was Sunday night, which, if you're from Winnipeg you know, is "Cruise Night"! People who have spent a lot of money supping up or restoring their fancy-schmancy cars drive down Portage Ave - some times fast to show off speed, some times slow to allow a good look. But it's so much more than just driving. People gather in empty parking lots all along Portage to WATCH PEOPLE DRIVE BY. They bring out lawn chairs, they sit in the back of pick up trucks, they bring the whole family out to observe traffic. As I walked past one parking lot there were three cars in a row with their hoods up. Tall burly men were having an animated discussion about carburetors and V8s ... when I realized they weren’t talking about that tasty vegetable juice, I felt very alone.
Call me crazy, but I don't understand the appeal of cruise night at all. I can drive- it's hardly one of my favourite things, but I do it - but the idea of driving around to watch other people drive around seems... silly?
When I started university, I lived in dorm and the consequences are a bit more pronounced. "Trying" doesn't even begin to describe the experience. Whenever I'd go down to the lounge to watch something on TV, I was reminded that I don't have the same tastes that other people have: I don't watch hockey, I don't like sports, and the idea of watching porn in a ROOM FULL OF OTHER GUYS... well, let's just say that that's hardly my idea of fun. Occasionally I'd find myself alone in the lounge and able to watch what I wanted. However when one of my floormates stumbled in drunk, I'd be forced to explain why I was watching a samurai film, lucha libre or anime. "What's this *#!%?" became sort of a greeting.
As I was walking home the other night I was suddenly struck with a feeling I hadn't really felt since those days in Willison Hall - that I have nothing in common with the people around me. It was Sunday night, which, if you're from Winnipeg you know, is "Cruise Night"! People who have spent a lot of money supping up or restoring their fancy-schmancy cars drive down Portage Ave - some times fast to show off speed, some times slow to allow a good look. But it's so much more than just driving. People gather in empty parking lots all along Portage to WATCH PEOPLE DRIVE BY. They bring out lawn chairs, they sit in the back of pick up trucks, they bring the whole family out to observe traffic. As I walked past one parking lot there were three cars in a row with their hoods up. Tall burly men were having an animated discussion about carburetors and V8s ... when I realized they weren’t talking about that tasty vegetable juice, I felt very alone.
Call me crazy, but I don't understand the appeal of cruise night at all. I can drive- it's hardly one of my favourite things, but I do it - but the idea of driving around to watch other people drive around seems... silly?
Friday, June 09, 2006
Listen to me, baby, that's all you gotta do
My stupid back's better today. Okay, there was some grunting and grumbling while I tried to get out of chairs, but nothing too serious. And after sitting for a long period of time, I tend to walk like an old man (shuffling along with the grumbling) for about three minutes. I continued the pills and heat. I'll be fine by Monday, I'm sure. If not, then the dread Doctor.
Ever been really anxious to do something or see something, that when the chance finally came, you weren't sure you wanted to? I've being waiting over 10 years to see this film
It's a French gangster film called Le Samourai (1967) It's directed by Jean-Pierre Meville and stars Alain Delon as hitman with a rigourous code of ethics who is betrayed by his employers. John Woo cites it as the major influence on his masterpiece The Killer (1989) - imdb.com goes so far as to call The Killer a remake. Back in university I discovered John Woo (along with about a thousand other directors); I love The Killer, and I had always heard about how incredible and influential Le Samourai is. I knew I'd love Le Samourai too.
So I tried to track it down. And I failed. It wasn't the typical "Blockbuster fare." I did come across a tape of it in a store in Winnipeg, but didn't have time to rent it. When I returned, it was out and it remained out for weeks. I didn't want to get so crappy 3rd generation copy from a tape trader or a version taped off a French channel (CBC did air it once, but my French is limited to "Good morning" and "I like hamburgers"), I wanted as pristine a print as possible with proper subtitles.
This year, with some birthday money, I ordered the new Criterion edition of Le Samourai . It arrived Tuesday. I carefully unwrapped the plastic and removed the stickers. I opened the case and read the 48-page booklet. I put the disc into the DVD player... and couldn't bring myself to watch it. This has been a 10 year journey, a 10 year journey that will end the moment I press "play" on the remote control. Is the greatest joy in the wanting, the expectation?
Ever been really anxious to do something or see something, that when the chance finally came, you weren't sure you wanted to? I've being waiting over 10 years to see this film
It's a French gangster film called Le Samourai (1967) It's directed by Jean-Pierre Meville and stars Alain Delon as hitman with a rigourous code of ethics who is betrayed by his employers. John Woo cites it as the major influence on his masterpiece The Killer (1989) - imdb.com goes so far as to call The Killer a remake. Back in university I discovered John Woo (along with about a thousand other directors); I love The Killer, and I had always heard about how incredible and influential Le Samourai is. I knew I'd love Le Samourai too.
So I tried to track it down. And I failed. It wasn't the typical "Blockbuster fare." I did come across a tape of it in a store in Winnipeg, but didn't have time to rent it. When I returned, it was out and it remained out for weeks. I didn't want to get so crappy 3rd generation copy from a tape trader or a version taped off a French channel (CBC did air it once, but my French is limited to "Good morning" and "I like hamburgers"), I wanted as pristine a print as possible with proper subtitles.
This year, with some birthday money, I ordered the new Criterion edition of Le Samourai . It arrived Tuesday. I carefully unwrapped the plastic and removed the stickers. I opened the case and read the 48-page booklet. I put the disc into the DVD player... and couldn't bring myself to watch it. This has been a 10 year journey, a 10 year journey that will end the moment I press "play" on the remote control. Is the greatest joy in the wanting, the expectation?
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Smack, crack, bushwacked
I threw my back out today. I'd like to say that it happened when I was doing something cool - lifting weights or saving small children from a burning building. Truth is it happened while I was refolding and straightening a blanket in the living room. I had just folded it all neat and pretty and set it over the new armchair; when I leaned over to smooth it out, my back spasmed and my legs went dead. It was like they just stopped working, like my nerves gave out on me. I went down, falling face first into the seat of the chair. I tried for minutes that seemed like hours to straighten out and stand up. Evenutally I made it to couch, where I could lay flat out. The next hour or so was fighting to stand, walk, sit, reach... I got a heating pad, I swallowed pills. Walking required carefully balancing on the wall, the counter and backs of chairs. I couldn't bend over to pick up the remote once I'd made it back to the living room. I couldn't reach for my drink once I sat down.
It's been getting better all night. I've continued with the heat and the pills. I've stretched. I sat in the chair that started the whole (so it knew that I didn't hold it responsible) and watched television. I can move pretty well now. It still hurts, but walking doesn't demand the same forethought. I can do it under my own power... it just takes a little more time than usual.
It's been getting better all night. I've continued with the heat and the pills. I've stretched. I sat in the chair that started the whole (so it knew that I didn't hold it responsible) and watched television. I can move pretty well now. It still hurts, but walking doesn't demand the same forethought. I can do it under my own power... it just takes a little more time than usual.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Lemme show you what it's all about
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1) I worked in the Thrift Store all through highschool
2) I've worked at various videostores in various locations
3) I currently work for the UM Press doing... stuff
4) I was teach English Literature
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1) Casablanca
2) Duck Soup
3) Seven Samurai
4) Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Four places I have lived:
1) Toronto
2) Oshawa
3) Waterloo -in res for a year, then an apartment
4) Winnipeg
Four TV shows I love to watch:
1) Veronica Mars
2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3) House
4) and I'm rediscovering Mad About You.
Four places I have been on vacation:
1) Miami
2) England
3) Nfld
4) Nova Scotia - though I'm not sure visitng relatives actually counts as a "vacation"
Four of my favourite foods:
1) Spagetti - all day, every day
2) Chicken
3) these potatoes that Rachel makes
4) green currie Thai soup
Four places I would rather be right now:
1) Anywhere
2) Anywhere
3) Anywhere
4) Anywhere
.... you get the idea
1) I worked in the Thrift Store all through highschool
2) I've worked at various videostores in various locations
3) I currently work for the UM Press doing... stuff
4) I was teach English Literature
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1) Casablanca
2) Duck Soup
3) Seven Samurai
4) Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Four places I have lived:
1) Toronto
2) Oshawa
3) Waterloo -in res for a year, then an apartment
4) Winnipeg
Four TV shows I love to watch:
1) Veronica Mars
2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3) House
4) and I'm rediscovering Mad About You.
Four places I have been on vacation:
1) Miami
2) England
3) Nfld
4) Nova Scotia - though I'm not sure visitng relatives actually counts as a "vacation"
Four of my favourite foods:
1) Spagetti - all day, every day
2) Chicken
3) these potatoes that Rachel makes
4) green currie Thai soup
Four places I would rather be right now:
1) Anywhere
2) Anywhere
3) Anywhere
4) Anywhere
.... you get the idea
Monday, June 05, 2006
Something won't let me make love to you
I still don't know what I think about X-men 3. I see the agruments of people who hated it (and I agree with them too), but I also see why people would love it. I still think I enjoyed it, but I'm learning not trust myself.
I finally finished Season 6 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer this weekend and started Season 7. Season 6 was like a kick in the gut, but a good kick in the gut. Beloved characters left or died or turned all veiny and apocalyptically evil. Now I've seen some of Season 7 already - we purchased them out of order, for a reason that's simply too long and conviluted to explain here, and I started with what we had - but I hadn't seen the first episode of that season. While Season 7 episode 1 of Buffy sets up some of the themes and the main villain for the rest of the season, in one of the greatest bits of Buffy, the new "big bad" becomes all the big bads from previous seasons - Adam, the Mayor, Gloria, Drusilla and, best of all, the Master - revealing itself to be the source of all evil. As these other villains were manifestations of this First Evil, this First manifests as them.
In the story Buffy returns (with her younger sister) to the highschool (now rebuilt) where the series began. Seeing a confident, mature Buffy walking the hallways of Sunnydale High made me realize just how good this show was. To effectively transition characters from highschool to adulthood so well is unheard of. I can't think of another show that managed to do this. Welcome Back Kotter, Saved by the Bell, even Degrassi all fall short of taking teenagers into their twenties and beyond while maintaining a certain quality.*
*I realize that the word "quality" is rarely used in relation to either Welcome Back Kotter or Saved by the Bell.
I finally finished Season 6 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer this weekend and started Season 7. Season 6 was like a kick in the gut, but a good kick in the gut. Beloved characters left or died or turned all veiny and apocalyptically evil. Now I've seen some of Season 7 already - we purchased them out of order, for a reason that's simply too long and conviluted to explain here, and I started with what we had - but I hadn't seen the first episode of that season. While Season 7 episode 1 of Buffy sets up some of the themes and the main villain for the rest of the season, in one of the greatest bits of Buffy, the new "big bad" becomes all the big bads from previous seasons - Adam, the Mayor, Gloria, Drusilla and, best of all, the Master - revealing itself to be the source of all evil. As these other villains were manifestations of this First Evil, this First manifests as them.
In the story Buffy returns (with her younger sister) to the highschool (now rebuilt) where the series began. Seeing a confident, mature Buffy walking the hallways of Sunnydale High made me realize just how good this show was. To effectively transition characters from highschool to adulthood so well is unheard of. I can't think of another show that managed to do this. Welcome Back Kotter, Saved by the Bell, even Degrassi all fall short of taking teenagers into their twenties and beyond while maintaining a certain quality.*
*I realize that the word "quality" is rarely used in relation to either Welcome Back Kotter or Saved by the Bell.
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