Quote of the week - 10/30/08
"All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential."
-- Harvey Milk
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October 30, 2008
October 19, 2008
Ricky Gervais is "Extra Special"
Ricky Gervais is a clown, and I say this in the ancient sense of Comedy/Tragedy. His blend encompasses fun, shame, sorrow, and all the aspects of human emotion in between. His seminal show, "The Office" is quite a different animal to the version we see on this side of the Atlantic. We like a little pathos and some snarkiness, but have a hard time laughing at characters that are pathetic and/or reprehensible. The Steve Carell version is mostly very amusing, but I must admit to having adjustment issues. But one should not expect an import to travel verbatim and if it did, why bother watching?
Funnier than The Office (British version) is Extras. Here is the ongoing travails of an ambitious bit-player who aspires to actually say something on camera. Once that happens, his dreams and hopes know no bounds, leading him to terrible choices.
His sidekicks are played by Stephen Merchant {also his writing and directing partner] and Ashley Jensen. They are clueless and unbearably sad, respectively. Unlike other comedies where guest stars are brought in as stunts during sweeps week, the guests on Extras are an integral part of the story because of the show biz setting. Two of the stand-our guests are David Bowie and Daniel Radcliff.
If you haven’t yet caught up with Extras, run don't walk to your local video outlet where you can find both seasons one and two, plus the totally excellent series finale.
October 14, 2008
Quote of the week - 10/14/08
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."
-- Mahatma Gandhi
-- Mahatma Gandhi
October 08, 2008
Boys will be boys
"You can't change Destiny." Harsh words for Dean to hear after being treated to a flashback by his own personal angel. This season we learn that while Dean was in hell, Sam was going down his own dark and shaky path in the company of a minor demon familiar to us, and using his own considerable powers to defeat evil.When Dean is pulled from the pit, Sam keeps his pursuits to himself. Dean has real trouble accepting the presence of God, but if He does exist why is He interested in Dean Winchester?
The Angel explains that he is needed to do God's work, this little bit of information does not help Dean at all, hence the time warp.
In the not too distant past Dean finds his own as yet unmarried parents and we find out some very interesting things:
Dean and Sam's mom Mary belongs to a family of hunters of which she is a reluctant member.- Dad John is not in the hunting business, yet.
- The yellow eyed demon inhabited his Grandpa, Sam
- His mom made a deal with old yellow eyes.
No action on his part made any difference - you've got it - "You cant change Destiny." Our writers have led us to watch the brothers following different, separate paths and keeping dark secrets from each other. But at the end of the episode the Angel informs Dean that Sam is going the wrong way and if Dean can't stop him, "We" will. More ominous than a royal "We."
October 07, 2008
Smallville
For a long time I could never bring myself to watch Smallville, because even though I know that you have to suspend disbelief, Tom Welling as a teenager? Please. And Kristin Kreuk over-acting her good/evil/good machinations proved more than I could bear.The last several episodes however, are growing into the Superman mythos while still maintaining the series' own style. The addition of the Green Arrow as a regular and the appearance of the J.L.A.are leading to more exciting and involving plot lines.
Introducing Clark's future nemesis as a helpful {and hot} medic whom Chloe finds attractive thickens the stew, alas poor Jimmy.Finding Clark at last at the Daily Planet is fun, lets just hope that we don't get to the point where his taking off or putting on a pair of glasses will impair everybody's vision.
October 02, 2008
Rocky Mountain High
Jack Kerouac wrote his classic On the Road thus becoming one of the coolest icons of the 50s. However, I'll tell you a little secret about Jack: when he hit the road, He wasn't in a minivan, with one daughter (awesome company), one Rhodesian Ridgeback (excellent traveler), and two cantankerous cats who didn't like:
a) The car
b) The dog
c) Each other
d) and finally, after 1,675 miles, us.
I have moved before across the Atlantic, from town to town, state to state and North to South, but this trek could have used the organizational skills of a traffic controller. Furniture in two different trucks - one from Florida and one from Virginia - and one car was shipped by auto-transit.
So after driving across some beautiful land and through some fascinating cities and towns - wow that arch! - and Boot Hill - who would have thunk it? It's a great country.
I've enjoyed the Poconos, the Kittatinnys, the Smokeys, but OMG, the Rockies are spectacular.
October 01, 2008
Quote of the week - 10/01/08
"I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky. The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullaby. Rocky Mountain High in Colorado." -- John Denver
