So,
I was the big loser in poker this weekend. Down 80 bucks, plus the 60 or so I shelled out on beer and food.
Frig, losing is bad enough, but when you have pay for everyone else it can be a little tough to take. It’s nights like Saturday that keep me from playing poker more than once a month, I simply can’t afford to have a string of losing nights.
Anyway, Sunday I put the finishing touches on the wedding invites while S was in Danger Bay at a wedding shower and they’re going to get dropped into the mail this afternoon.
We’ve officially less than three months away from the big day and even though we’ve got all the heavy lifting taken care of (DJ, cake, venue, minister, photographer, flowers) there are still a myriad of smaller details to be taken care of.
(I developed a nasty facial tic when I looked at my To Do list and started to add up some of the uncompleted tasks.)
Anyway I got a call from the best man on Sunday wondering what the story is so I think it’s time to flesh out one last critical path and make sure all the disparate parts of this wedding are on the same page.
My short list has tux fitting and getting gifts for the wedding party on it, as well as picking up a little something for S that I’m kicking around in the back of my head. I’m also mulling over the idea of a video confessional booth where guests can leave a message to the bride and groom, but I don’t have the foggiest idea where I’m going to get a vid cam, beyond renting one, that has what I’m looking for.
Back to the salt mines.
Faulk off.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
My Dirty Secret
Once a year, when S goes out of town, I’m a bad man.
I revel in the kind of filth and depravity that would stop your heart, loosen your bowels and cause your knees to knock so loudly you’d swear someone was trying to break in the house.
I eats me some KFC.
I tuck into a bucket of a chicken, a mess of fries and enough gravy to lubricate a car engine, should you be thick enough to consider that sort of thing wise.
Well. Tonight is that night. The night I’ve been dreaming about for months. S is off visiting her parents and I’m prepping for what is surely going to be one of the lowest points in my life thus far. The feeding frenzy.
The plan.
Frisbee game at 7pm, which ends approximately at 8:15.
Order the KFC from the car as I bomb down the DVP in a mad rush to beat the delivery guy to my door.
Cue up two hours of some absolute guilty pleasure movie, I’m leaning towards Saving Private Ryan or The Children of Men.
Then abandon all pretense of dignity as I gorge myself on just about the worst form of fast food available.
I know it’s wrong. I know I shouldn’t do it. I know it’s bad for me. I know that PETA is likely to show up at my door and drench me in fake blood (at least I hope its fake).
I. don’t. care.
I’ve seen the looks on people face’s. I’ve heard the scorn in their voices. I’ve lived through it all. But nothing will keep me from enjoying the finger licking goodness of the Colonel’s chicken.
I am a KFC addict and I wear that badge with pride.
I revel in the kind of filth and depravity that would stop your heart, loosen your bowels and cause your knees to knock so loudly you’d swear someone was trying to break in the house.
I eats me some KFC.
I tuck into a bucket of a chicken, a mess of fries and enough gravy to lubricate a car engine, should you be thick enough to consider that sort of thing wise.
Well. Tonight is that night. The night I’ve been dreaming about for months. S is off visiting her parents and I’m prepping for what is surely going to be one of the lowest points in my life thus far. The feeding frenzy.
The plan.
Frisbee game at 7pm, which ends approximately at 8:15.
Order the KFC from the car as I bomb down the DVP in a mad rush to beat the delivery guy to my door.
Cue up two hours of some absolute guilty pleasure movie, I’m leaning towards Saving Private Ryan or The Children of Men.
Then abandon all pretense of dignity as I gorge myself on just about the worst form of fast food available.
I know it’s wrong. I know I shouldn’t do it. I know it’s bad for me. I know that PETA is likely to show up at my door and drench me in fake blood (at least I hope its fake).
I. don’t. care.
I’ve seen the looks on people face’s. I’ve heard the scorn in their voices. I’ve lived through it all. But nothing will keep me from enjoying the finger licking goodness of the Colonel’s chicken.
I am a KFC addict and I wear that badge with pride.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
School: Speech #1
So,
my Speechwriting and Presentations is actually more of a Public Speaking class.
How did that happen?
Anyway, here's my first speech, 250 words long, which is supposed to introduce me to the class.
(Hint: I'm the tall guy in the back)
How I came to be in this class
In 2003 the SARS virus swept through Toronto and the local film and television industry, highly dependant on American production, was dealt a body blow from which it has yet to recover.
2003 also happened to be the same year that I graduated from York University with a degree in film and television production.
So I was out in the real world with a degree for an industry that was suddenly devoid of any jobs.
At first I managed to eke out a living working for fly by night production companies that couldn’t guarantee my employment for more than a month at a time.
After a couple years of this I decided that steady employment was more valuable to me than being a part of an industry that could barely support itself. So I took an administrative job with the Canadian actor’s union. Respectable pay, but hardly challenging from a career standpoint.
And I was content, for awhile anyway.
But soon the lack of a creative outlet began to frustrate me.
So I took a chance and enrolled in the Public Relations certificate course at Ryerson. A couple months later a PR position opened up at my office and despite no formal schooling in the subject, and a lack of applicable job experience, I got the position.
So now I find myself in the going to school for a job I already have. A small price to pay for a regular paycheque and a creative outlet.
my Speechwriting and Presentations is actually more of a Public Speaking class.
How did that happen?
Anyway, here's my first speech, 250 words long, which is supposed to introduce me to the class.
(Hint: I'm the tall guy in the back)
How I came to be in this class
In 2003 the SARS virus swept through Toronto and the local film and television industry, highly dependant on American production, was dealt a body blow from which it has yet to recover.
2003 also happened to be the same year that I graduated from York University with a degree in film and television production.
So I was out in the real world with a degree for an industry that was suddenly devoid of any jobs.
At first I managed to eke out a living working for fly by night production companies that couldn’t guarantee my employment for more than a month at a time.
After a couple years of this I decided that steady employment was more valuable to me than being a part of an industry that could barely support itself. So I took an administrative job with the Canadian actor’s union. Respectable pay, but hardly challenging from a career standpoint.
And I was content, for awhile anyway.
But soon the lack of a creative outlet began to frustrate me.
So I took a chance and enrolled in the Public Relations certificate course at Ryerson. A couple months later a PR position opened up at my office and despite no formal schooling in the subject, and a lack of applicable job experience, I got the position.
So now I find myself in the going to school for a job I already have. A small price to pay for a regular paycheque and a creative outlet.
Muzak: The Trews - concert review
So,
Saturday turned into a bit of a free-for-all when it came to figuring out what to do for the day. We were supposed to hit up three birthday celebrations, involving three very different groups of friends, and go to the Trews’ concert at the Kool Haus as well.
S managed to fit one friend’s mid-afternoon birthday luncheon in and, of course, we definitely made the concert, but overall our meticulously crafted plan was an absolute bust.
But according to the title of this post I’m supposed to be reviewing the Trews’ concert.
Um, it was good.
Seriously, it’s East Coast rock, what’s not to like? Although if you’re looking for fiddles and harps you’re going to find yourself sorely disappointed.
The Trews’ live show is a high energy event. The live interpretations of their songs aren’t wildly different from their studio stuff, except for rocking out to a cover song during the bridge every now and then. The one new aspect of their style I wasn’t sold on was the addition of keyboardist. It gave the Trews music a little bit of a White Cowbell feel, which shouldn’t have bothered me at all, because I love Der Cowbell, but it was a new element that didn’t quite work for me, especially on their older songs.
Oh and for the their new tune ‘Gun Control’ they substituted GTA for U.S.A., you know, so they could personalize it for us Torontonians. With some of the hype that’s been generated in these parts, due to gun violence, I wasn’t overwhelmed by that choice.
Other than that two hours of solid rock, expensive beer and an evening well spent.
And even though it’s been happening for awhile now, I still get a kick out of how cellphones have become the new lighters when it comes to demonstrating appreciation to the band.
Saturday turned into a bit of a free-for-all when it came to figuring out what to do for the day. We were supposed to hit up three birthday celebrations, involving three very different groups of friends, and go to the Trews’ concert at the Kool Haus as well.
S managed to fit one friend’s mid-afternoon birthday luncheon in and, of course, we definitely made the concert, but overall our meticulously crafted plan was an absolute bust.
But according to the title of this post I’m supposed to be reviewing the Trews’ concert.
Um, it was good.
Seriously, it’s East Coast rock, what’s not to like? Although if you’re looking for fiddles and harps you’re going to find yourself sorely disappointed.
The Trews’ live show is a high energy event. The live interpretations of their songs aren’t wildly different from their studio stuff, except for rocking out to a cover song during the bridge every now and then. The one new aspect of their style I wasn’t sold on was the addition of keyboardist. It gave the Trews music a little bit of a White Cowbell feel, which shouldn’t have bothered me at all, because I love Der Cowbell, but it was a new element that didn’t quite work for me, especially on their older songs.
Oh and for the their new tune ‘Gun Control’ they substituted GTA for U.S.A., you know, so they could personalize it for us Torontonians. With some of the hype that’s been generated in these parts, due to gun violence, I wasn’t overwhelmed by that choice.
Other than that two hours of solid rock, expensive beer and an evening well spent.
And even though it’s been happening for awhile now, I still get a kick out of how cellphones have become the new lighters when it comes to demonstrating appreciation to the band.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Review: Iron Man
So,
The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, the box office has been boffo and it looks to me like Iron Man has a pretty successful franchise career ahead of it.
But the big question is, what did I think?
Well I liked it a lot of course. Der.
S, Scott and I went to see it on opening night, which is pretty rare for me. Because, while I likes my movies, I don’t like crowded theatres, idiot audience members and having to clamp down on my kidneys for at least an hour because I’ve finished my large pop before the previews even finished…again.
So why is Iron Man so good?
Well for the nerds in the audience Iron Man does a great job in hitting all the essential elements of the character.
Playboy industrialist
Technical doo-dad in his chest to prevent death
Excessive drinking
Multiple Iron Man armours
S.H.I.E.L.D
Telegraphing the birth of War Machine
and the list goes on and on. It’s a nerdgasm and if you’re steeped in the lore of Iron Man all the little extras and tidbits thrown into the film will only serve to enhance your viewing experience.
Visually the film is without equal, a perfect blend of CGI and Stan Winston puppetry effects, George Lucas should take note.
The direction is fantastic, I would never have suspected that John Favreau, a director I associate primarily with talky Tarantino-type movies would have been able to helm a summer blockbuster like this so masterfully. But he does and he does it well. Mixing up visual effects and resisting the urge to make the film a two hour beat down between iron suited behemoths.
And finally the acting. For obvious reasons Robert Downey Jr. is a perfect casting choice to portray a successful businessman, hell bent on success and toting around a few personal problems. RD Jr. isn’t portraying Tony Stark, he’s being himself. The few scenes where Jr. is left to his own devices and simply improvs all his dialog are comic gold*. The movie may be all about him and his character, but it never, EVER, feels like one of those ego-centric star vehicles that are all hero shots and melodramatics. Jr. resists the urge to go over the top, instead choosing to develop his character with panache and subtlety and rarely going for the cinematic jugular.
This is a comic book movie that sets the bar for all those that come after. Whether or not it’s the greatest comic book movie ever is a subjective opinion that I won’t get into. Is it in my top five? Without question. It’s film’s like this that give legitimacy to the whole genre. Well played Iron Man, well played.
*Seriously, the bit with the robot arm and the fire extinguisher, I was laughing my ass off. Literally.
The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, the box office has been boffo and it looks to me like Iron Man has a pretty successful franchise career ahead of it.
But the big question is, what did I think?
Well I liked it a lot of course. Der.
S, Scott and I went to see it on opening night, which is pretty rare for me. Because, while I likes my movies, I don’t like crowded theatres, idiot audience members and having to clamp down on my kidneys for at least an hour because I’ve finished my large pop before the previews even finished…again.
So why is Iron Man so good?
Well for the nerds in the audience Iron Man does a great job in hitting all the essential elements of the character.
Playboy industrialist
Technical doo-dad in his chest to prevent death
Excessive drinking
Multiple Iron Man armours
S.H.I.E.L.D
Telegraphing the birth of War Machine
and the list goes on and on. It’s a nerdgasm and if you’re steeped in the lore of Iron Man all the little extras and tidbits thrown into the film will only serve to enhance your viewing experience.
Visually the film is without equal, a perfect blend of CGI and Stan Winston puppetry effects, George Lucas should take note.
The direction is fantastic, I would never have suspected that John Favreau, a director I associate primarily with talky Tarantino-type movies would have been able to helm a summer blockbuster like this so masterfully. But he does and he does it well. Mixing up visual effects and resisting the urge to make the film a two hour beat down between iron suited behemoths.
And finally the acting. For obvious reasons Robert Downey Jr. is a perfect casting choice to portray a successful businessman, hell bent on success and toting around a few personal problems. RD Jr. isn’t portraying Tony Stark, he’s being himself. The few scenes where Jr. is left to his own devices and simply improvs all his dialog are comic gold*. The movie may be all about him and his character, but it never, EVER, feels like one of those ego-centric star vehicles that are all hero shots and melodramatics. Jr. resists the urge to go over the top, instead choosing to develop his character with panache and subtlety and rarely going for the cinematic jugular.
This is a comic book movie that sets the bar for all those that come after. Whether or not it’s the greatest comic book movie ever is a subjective opinion that I won’t get into. Is it in my top five? Without question. It’s film’s like this that give legitimacy to the whole genre. Well played Iron Man, well played.
*Seriously, the bit with the robot arm and the fire extinguisher, I was laughing my ass off. Literally.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Working out
Well,
I’ve been fairly successful so far in keeping up with almost-daily posts here on Mr. blog. That’s a fairly big step for me. I’ve never been able to commit the time and energy to this before, even though I wanted to.
Now the problem is just keeping the quality up. I’ve spent the last few weeks checking out some other comic-based blogs, seeing how their comic book reviews match up with mine. Did they have greater insight, more prolific writing, a more amusing style?
Etcetera.
Etcetera.
On the whole I find that I have the content pretty much nailed down, but the quality of my writing leaves a bit to be desired.
I had a friend who bastardized a Tolstoy quote for me once. It went something to the effect of “The brain is a muscle and like all muscles it needs to be exercised constantly in order for it to grow and improve.”
Tolstoy’s gross misunderstanding of human anatomy aside I think the quote rings pretty true.
So this is me, exercising my muscles.
I’ve been fairly successful so far in keeping up with almost-daily posts here on Mr. blog. That’s a fairly big step for me. I’ve never been able to commit the time and energy to this before, even though I wanted to.
Now the problem is just keeping the quality up. I’ve spent the last few weeks checking out some other comic-based blogs, seeing how their comic book reviews match up with mine. Did they have greater insight, more prolific writing, a more amusing style?
Etcetera.
Etcetera.
On the whole I find that I have the content pretty much nailed down, but the quality of my writing leaves a bit to be desired.
I had a friend who bastardized a Tolstoy quote for me once. It went something to the effect of “The brain is a muscle and like all muscles it needs to be exercised constantly in order for it to grow and improve.”
Tolstoy’s gross misunderstanding of human anatomy aside I think the quote rings pretty true.
So this is me, exercising my muscles.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
NCD #5: Wind ups and winding down...
DC Universe 0
Action Comics #864
Green Lantern #30
Ultimate Human #4
Ultimate X-Men #93
Black Summer #6
DC Universe 0
So, the big news with this issue is that Barry Allen is back.
Maybe.
(Probably)
Granted, it could be some other Flash, Bart perhaps, as we never actually see the character narrating throughout the story. But from everything I’ve seen and heard around the comic blogosphere I reasonably sure Captain Crew is back.
Unfortunately, the character of Barry Allen has more emotional significance by remaining dead than he ever will running around busting up bank robberies and foiling crime. His death represented something truly unique in this business known for shock killings and rebirths in order to drive up sales, permanence. His legacy provides the foundation for the current Flash mythos, the importance of sacrifice in the pursuit of what is right.
Flashes retain heroic value by passing along the responsibility of the name after their leg of the race has been run. So much of Wally’s career is built around living up to his uncle’s name. To bring Barry back is to deprive Wally’s character of his purpose and relevance.
Twenty some odd years on I find it difficult to believe that fans are still clamouring for Barry’s return. We’ve already got a super speedster tearing around in red pajamas. His name is Wally West and he’s doing just fine thank you.
Nothing much else of note in this thing. It reads like an episode recap.
“Previously on the DCU…”
One things that does raise my pulse a littlebit is the appearance of Fernus, last seen, by me, at the end of Joe Kelly's JLA run. I could be way off here as nothing actually identifies the flaming Martian-headed pointy toothed character as actually being Fernus, but the resemblance is definetly there. Seeing as how it's widely rumoured that J'onn is going to bite it during Final Crisis and Fernus was created directly from his DNA I have to think that it makes sense that he's going to reappear in this story.
Green Lantern #30
Interesting enough read, but I wish the story was focused more on Abin Sur than Hal Jordan, as Sur’s story is where all the interesting stuff happens. The “Blackest Night” setup is a story worth telling, rather than redredging the origins of Hal’s superhero career.
The story is perfectly readable, Johns has never had any problems turning in a serviceable GL script. And Ivan Reis’s art is more than passable. I just find it hard to see why I should care about something that Johns has already covered in this same title and I saw again in the New Frontiers movie about a month ago.
Note: I really liked the explanation of why Abin Sur needed a spaceship to come to Earth, he was worried about his ring failing him, as he normally would have just whipped up a standard lantern bubble to travel. Not once in all the years I’ve been reading comics have I have twigged to the inherent contradiction of a GL needing a space ship. Which goes to show you how…slow…I am.
Black Summer #6
This is the only comic I bought this week that wasn’t winding down from something or setting the groundwork for its next ‘real’ story.
Warren Ellis take on the ultra-gory citizen\solider superheroes is about as fun a read as you’re ever going to get. It gives you the bare minimum of expository plot before cutting away to a blood soaked battle scene. (When he feels like a change Ellis merely open with the fight and tacks the exposition on the end.) In this issue we have an interesting two page splash where pencilier Juan Jose Ryp has spent and awful lot of time inserting children’s cartoon characters into the firefight.
I was curious as to why Bam-Bam would be a part of such a high octane fight scene until I stared at the page a little longer and other characters started to stand out from the rubble.
Ellis and Ryp seem to have spent a fair amount of time trying to deliver a realistic take a on a superhero smack down, a la Alan Moore and Miracleman. Body parts get ripped off, (most) characters who are shot go down and never get back up and very few characters are safe from being written off by virtue of their importance to the title. This isn’t a sanitized showdown in the streets of Metropolis, but a bloody battlefield fracas that takes no prisoners.
Action Comics #864
Green Lantern #30
Ultimate Human #4
Ultimate X-Men #93
Black Summer #6
DC Universe 0
So, the big news with this issue is that Barry Allen is back.
Maybe.
(Probably)
Granted, it could be some other Flash, Bart perhaps, as we never actually see the character narrating throughout the story. But from everything I’ve seen and heard around the comic blogosphere I reasonably sure Captain Crew is back.
Unfortunately, the character of Barry Allen has more emotional significance by remaining dead than he ever will running around busting up bank robberies and foiling crime. His death represented something truly unique in this business known for shock killings and rebirths in order to drive up sales, permanence. His legacy provides the foundation for the current Flash mythos, the importance of sacrifice in the pursuit of what is right.
Flashes retain heroic value by passing along the responsibility of the name after their leg of the race has been run. So much of Wally’s career is built around living up to his uncle’s name. To bring Barry back is to deprive Wally’s character of his purpose and relevance.
Twenty some odd years on I find it difficult to believe that fans are still clamouring for Barry’s return. We’ve already got a super speedster tearing around in red pajamas. His name is Wally West and he’s doing just fine thank you.
Nothing much else of note in this thing. It reads like an episode recap.
“Previously on the DCU…”
One things that does raise my pulse a littlebit is the appearance of Fernus, last seen, by me, at the end of Joe Kelly's JLA run. I could be way off here as nothing actually identifies the flaming Martian-headed pointy toothed character as actually being Fernus, but the resemblance is definetly there. Seeing as how it's widely rumoured that J'onn is going to bite it during Final Crisis and Fernus was created directly from his DNA I have to think that it makes sense that he's going to reappear in this story.
Green Lantern #30
Interesting enough read, but I wish the story was focused more on Abin Sur than Hal Jordan, as Sur’s story is where all the interesting stuff happens. The “Blackest Night” setup is a story worth telling, rather than redredging the origins of Hal’s superhero career.
The story is perfectly readable, Johns has never had any problems turning in a serviceable GL script. And Ivan Reis’s art is more than passable. I just find it hard to see why I should care about something that Johns has already covered in this same title and I saw again in the New Frontiers movie about a month ago.
Note: I really liked the explanation of why Abin Sur needed a spaceship to come to Earth, he was worried about his ring failing him, as he normally would have just whipped up a standard lantern bubble to travel. Not once in all the years I’ve been reading comics have I have twigged to the inherent contradiction of a GL needing a space ship. Which goes to show you how…slow…I am.
Black Summer #6
This is the only comic I bought this week that wasn’t winding down from something or setting the groundwork for its next ‘real’ story.
Warren Ellis take on the ultra-gory citizen\solider superheroes is about as fun a read as you’re ever going to get. It gives you the bare minimum of expository plot before cutting away to a blood soaked battle scene. (When he feels like a change Ellis merely open with the fight and tacks the exposition on the end.) In this issue we have an interesting two page splash where pencilier Juan Jose Ryp has spent and awful lot of time inserting children’s cartoon characters into the firefight.
I was curious as to why Bam-Bam would be a part of such a high octane fight scene until I stared at the page a little longer and other characters started to stand out from the rubble.
Ellis and Ryp seem to have spent a fair amount of time trying to deliver a realistic take a on a superhero smack down, a la Alan Moore and Miracleman. Body parts get ripped off, (most) characters who are shot go down and never get back up and very few characters are safe from being written off by virtue of their importance to the title. This isn’t a sanitized showdown in the streets of Metropolis, but a bloody battlefield fracas that takes no prisoners.
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