The Numbers For 2011

For the first year of my life I left the state 0 times.

I took 0 vacation days.

I did around 150 shows.

I had 4 court appearances.

I rode my motorcycle everyday for 3 months.

I worked at Groupon for 11 months.

Salute Jive had 10 shows.

The Album had 9 shows.

Rick had 33 shows.

I watched 1 sunrise.

I got my bicycle repaired 3 times.

I watched 5 different BBC television series.

I had roughly 170 days of sobriety.

I watched 50 movies in the theater. Half of which I would watch again.

I made approximately 10 new friends.

I tried 1 cuisine I had never tried before.

I lost my temper 3 times.

I coached 6 rehearsals.

I went to 2 plays.

I went to 1 concert.

I flew in 0 planes.

I attended 0 weddings.

I attended 0 funerals.

I went to 1 graduation.

I fell in love, once.

Steve's Guide To Roommates

1. Cleanliness- Your living space should be as clean as the neatest person would like it to be. It doesn't take much energy if everyone knows what is preferred and pitches in.

2. Bills- One person should handle the bills. The other person or persons should make sure to pay their share within a week following the bills being sent.

3. Shower Time- Remember to coordinate schedules if everyone gets up around the same time.

4. Significant Others- They have free reign of course but within reason. Your significant other is still a guest and your roommate probably wants to see you alone periodically. If you're spending every day and/or evening with your significant other, after a certain point, you should probably move in together.

5. Borrowing- I firmly believe in 'what's mine is yours'. Food, movies, books, condoms what have you. That may not work for everyone but it eliminates the stupidest roommate argument. "Did you eat my leftover ________?" There's no reason to get upset about your left over kookaburra wings.

6. Talk- If you're friends with your roommates don't forget to hang out with them. If you don't like or are indifferent to your roommates make sure to check in with them now and again. You don't want to wake up one day and feel like your living with a stranger.

7. Toilet Paper- If you notice you're low buy some. There's nothing worse than a family member coming over and using the restroom when there's no toilet paper.

'A Dangerous Method' A Review

'A Dangerous Method' is a film about the early application of psychoanalysis by Carl Jung. The film follows Jung(Fassbender) through his early professional days treating Sabina Spielrine(Knightly). As Jung progresses with his treatment he befriends Freud(Viggo) and develops a relationship with Sabina.

There is no plot to speak of, simply these characters living in and around each other. But it doesn't require the structure of a plot to be entertaining or interesting. The best scenes in the film are between Jung and Freud discussing the different methods and application of what is becoming 'modern' psychology. There are also a couple scenes where they analyze each others dreams, which don't add anything but feel authentic giving the characters another dimension.

The sexual relationship between Jung and Sabina could have been the main focus of the movie but its just a subplot. The focus of the movie is: who were these men? how did psychology begin? Two interesting questions which they explore but don't fully answer.

The acting was great, other then Knightly laying it on a bit thick at the beginning, and the story engaging but not overwhelming.

See It.

The Elusive Brian Damage

How to 'Ace the ACT' with the worlds only test-prep magician- Brian Damage!

Wilting Winter

Cold slips gently
over the shoulders of a city.
Wheels slowly turn,
tempers quicken,
and sneers pull at cheeks.

Puddles of water freeze and thaw
and crack
------------------------the concrete.

Flowers limp and brown and bow low,
we layer and hunch and hurry,
and prepare for the inevitable snow.

You can't escape the cold.

Ace The ACT

Andel and I taking a standardized test from a Rick show.

Recently Rick has been going really well. I've been having a lot of fun and I'm proud of the work we've been doing. Come see us next Thursday at iO.

Happy Holidays!

'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' A Review

(This poster is ridiculous)

I've read the Steig Larrson trilogy as well as watched the original Swedish films. As with any adaptations previous encounters with the story shape how you view the film. The original novel is sweeping and interesting and attacks some pretty dangerous themes. It also address misogyny more directly than most American fiction.

The Swedish film was a pared down version of the novel and the American adaptation is even more so. The most compelling thing about the story is Lisbeth Salander the title character. Damaged, intelligent, independent, and violent. This film lacks a clear picture of Lisbeth and we only get a short glimpse of the gradual friendship developing between Blomquist and Lisbeth.

When I left the theater I overheard many people saying things like "that was weird" or "I don't get it." I don't know if I liked the movie. At this point I know the story so well I don't notice omissions and automatically fill in the gaps. I imagine this American version wouldn't make a lot of sense to the average viewer. I imagine it would be confusing because the theme of violence against women was there but jumbled and rearranged and slightly dimmer than in the novel. Danial Craig was too confident as Blomquist, Rooney Mara too distant as Lisbeth.

In the original Swedish the title of the book is "Men Who Hate Women" which I think makes a much stronger statement and attempts to make a much more emphatic point than the Americanized American version ever attempts.

Did I like this movie? Would you?

I Don't Know.

Graffiti 45

"A tree against the sky possesses the same interest, the same character, the same expression as the figure of a human." -Georges Rouault

"A tree growing out of the ground is as wonderful today as it ever was. It does not need to adopt new and startling methods." -Robert Henri

"A tree is an incomprehensible mystery." -Jim Woodring

Street Talk 4

(outside of work)

Me:(smoking)
Guy: Hey! Merry Christmas! Spare a cigarette for the holidays?
Me:(nods, produces cigarette and lighter)
Guy: This neighborhood has changed man. You work here?
Me: Yeah.
Guy: Use to be the old Montgomery Ward Building. And up the street, you know that church?
Me: Yeah.
Guy: Use to be a chop shop. Middle of the the night tow trucks would go out, bring back some cars, and when they came out you wouldn't recognize 'em. I told my kids. That church. Turned 45 last week. I'm old. I feel old, down in my bones.
Me: 45 isn't old.
Guy: Maybe. I grew up around here Cabrini Green. The projects. For Christmas one person would get a toy he'd share it with everyone. There was a sense of community. But...my parents got killed in '68, the riots. Raised by my grandmother. There were some things missing. If I grew up in a country club things might be different.
Me: Maybe, maybe not. You never know.
Guy: The more things change...
Me: ...the more they stay the same. Take it easy.
(exits)
Guy: Merry Christmas big man!

'My Week With Marilyn' A Review

My Week With Marilyn is a movie about a Colin Clark's time with Marilyn Monroe during her filming of The Prince And The Showgirl. The film is based on the real life diary of Colin during this time period and feels more like an imaginative fantasy of what he would have liked the week to be like as opposed to anything resembling reality.

The main character Colin is totally unlikable. He's a spoiled little rich boy who just has to be in the movie business. Because of his families wealth and the ease in which he inserts himself into the making of the movie(his family has connections) he garners no sympathy.

Michelle Williams portrayal of Marilyn Monroe is vapid, two dimensional, and painful to watch. She delivers all dialogue in pseudo-babyspeak. If the movie was an effort to show Marilyn Monroe as anything other than her stereotype(stupid, sexual) it's an absolute failure. If the movie wanted to show Monroe as a caricature it was successful.

The plot is not much to speak of. Colin meets Marilyn and they develop an unstable friendship. The movie ends with her finishing filming and going back to the US. We don't care about either character, they're selfish and so underdeveloped they don't seem like real people. The supporting characters get so little screen time(not to mention actual depth) they have virtually no reason for being.

The other slight was the casting of Williams as Monroe. The worlds most famous voluptuous pin-up shouldn't be played by someone so slight.

All in all it was a huge disappointment. No substance, no depth, no truth.

Don't See It.

Weird iO Conversations

(During the opening of Damian's last 5B performance)

Brian:(guy I barely know) Hey Steve.
Me: Hey man.
(shake)
Brian: Why are you here? Do you know someone?
Me: Um...yeah. I'm here for Damian(points). He's on my Playground team.
Brian: The Night Shift. He's really good.
Me: Yeah he's great(back to watching show).
Brian: How long have you and Punam been dating?
Me: Ah...ah...around 6 months.
Brian: I thought you guys were. I didn't know for sure until I saw you guys kiss the other night.
Me: ...
Brian: We were in 5B's together. She's a real catch.
Me: Yeah. She's great.
Brian: Seriously, she's a catch. You did it.
(exits)
Me: ...woof...

Middle School Dance

A group scene from the last Rick show. This is one of my favorite group scenes I've ever done. I don't know if the clip does it justice but watching it and then participating it was like...pieces of a puzzle fitting together.

First Pants and Ryan set up the scene.
John and Katie dance on the side creating an enviorment.
Pants mentions his son b-ball dancing which I start doing off stage.
Kate enters and dirty dances alone.

It was a simple premise built patiently one step at a time.

Rick has our one year anniversary show tomorrow at iO. It's been a good year.

Graffiti 44

This is a little cleaner than I like and is obviously sanctioned/commissioned by the business but I like it. It makes me think of my dad and his favorite TV show 'The Prisoner', there's an episode called 'Hammer Into Anvil'.

Number Two: You shouldn't have interfered, Number Six. You'll pay for this.
Number Six: No. You will.

Number Two: Du musst amboss oder Hammer sein.
Number Six: You must be anvil or hammer.
Number Two: I see you know your Goethe.
Number Six: And you see me as the anvil?
Number Two: Precisely. I am going to hammer you.

Number Six: I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.

Broken Art

Punam and I spent a nice day together doing a little casual Christmas shopping. I spotted this in the alley next to 'Threadless'.

Punam: Is that the top of a door?
Me: I think its a window. You ever hear the expression "you make a better door than a window"?
Punam: You know I'm bad with sayings and idioms.
Me: It's what you say to someone when you want them to get out of your way.
Punam: Oh.
Me: I always hated it.

Looking at it, I imagined it was broken because of a relationship fight...

Jared: Hey sweetie we need to leave now if we're gonna catch 'Melancholia'.
Karen: (painting window pane) Hold on just one second, I'm almost done.
Jared: Come on, Kay. You know I don't like missing the previews and we're pushing it...
Karen: Just a sec(continues painting).
Jared: ...(watching)
Karen: (puts brush down, picks up clean brush, dips in white paint)
Jared: A new brush Karen! A new brush! Are you SERIOUS!?!?!
Karen: (painting) I'm in a groove Jared, just give me two...fucking...seconds. You don't understand the creative process.
Jared: I don't understand the creative process? Maybe not but I sure as hell appreciate it! We have painted windows all over our fucking living room! (gestures) There's no where to sit!
Karen: Why don't you go to the movie by yourself.
Jared: I don't want to Karen. I want to spend time with you.
Karen: I'm sorry I can't quit now.
Jared: Ok fine. (picks up a painted window, walks over to apartment window, opens it) Fly. (throws painted window out of apartment window). I'm going(crash) to the movies.

'Beginners' A Review

'Beginners' is a quiet, sweet film. The film follows Oliver(Ewan Mcgregor) as he gets over his father Hal's death and falls in love with Anna(Mélanie Laurent). The story is told through a now relatively conventional non-linear plot device. The film starts shortly after the death of Hal and periodically flashes back to when Hal came out to Oliver and started to actively engage in a gay lifestyle.

The relationship of Oliver and Anna develops subtly and truthfully, there are silent moments that say and imply a lot that most films would cram with dialogue couples don't actually have. Hal and Oliver's relationship is also light and engaging, serious but never depressing or sad.

The highlight of the film was the relationship between Oliver and his father's dog Arthur. Quirky and fun. It weaves a playfulness throughout the film.

See It.

Danse Macabre

I've heard this song a lot of different places recently. Sometimes I think it's playing just for me, behind things, hidden, warning me of things to come . Other times I think it's disembodied encouragement from the ether, a quiet message. Press on, move forward, be ready.

It makes me think of risk and shadows and joy and despair and inevitability. And adventure.

I'd like to Dance with Death.

Salute Jive Is Back

Julia and I have another show! You can see us December 28th at 10pm at the Skybox. We also got a run in the Skybox starting February 16th at 1030pm. From our last iO show.

Pete the dog and Marissa have a 'relationship talk'.

'The Descendants' A Review

'The Descendants' is a film about a father whose wife is in a coma. We find out she's not going to recover. She has a living will so Clooney will have to have to turn off her life support. When Clooney brings back his older daughter the 'wild child' she tells him that her mom had been cheating on him before the coma. That's when the movie really begins. The rest of the film is Clooney and his two daughters juggling finding the elusive lover, dealing with the mothers impending death, and a large land deal Clooney is handling for his family.

The film is called 'The Descendants' because Clooney is one of many cousins who collectively own a large underdeveloped property in Hawaii. Originally one of their family had married a local princess and the land has been in their family for years. This subplot is underdeveloped and doesn't make much sense in conjunction with what the film is presumably about, dealing with the death of a loved one(who 'betrayed' the family).

The movie is unclear. It doesn't seem to be about anything because it's trying to be about too much. It's about the death of a family member. It's about infidelity. It's about the gentrification of Hawaii. It's about white socio-economic privilege in the wake of colonialism.The movie is well acted but there are so many balls in the air it doesn't matter.

More confusing than satisfying.

Rent It.

Steve and Joey's Movie Corner 2

Me: So for our Christmas addition we'll discuss the Tim Allen hit 'The Santa Clause', Joey your thoughts?
Joey: Well, it's perfect. I mean, find me a better Christmas movie. Find me a better holiday movie!
Me: I can't. Arguably Tim Allen's best work. It has it all: magic, whimsy, and family. Although I don't know if it'd be great to be Santa. I think his life would kinda suck.
Joey: And it shows that! Also, there are shades of every other holiday movie ever, in this ONE movie.
Me: I don't think it does, it shows that it would be weird to transition into being Santa.
Joey: He's grumpy at the beginning (Scrooge, The Grinch). Yeah! That's what I'm saying! Like, oh, it sucks to have gained all this weight. This sucks. Ya know? Also, he's won over by it (Miracle on 34th st.). And Sally Fields is looking GREAT.
Me: I prefer Sally Fields in Mrs. Doubtfire but both movies she plays kind of a neurotic bitch. Which I think is unfair.
Joey: I mean, seriously, killin' what I can only assume was a role written for Diane K (the urbanite intellectual).
Me: He's fun loving and she's like serious bitchy ex-wife
Joey: in both movies! But, isn't that really what all men really want?
Me: What bitchy ex-wives or Sally Fields?
Joey: We want to be the fun ones! BOTH!
Me: But its like he's a man-child. So the only thing for him is to be Santa.
Joey: (Miami's leading Oakland, 13-0) No, he kills Santa, he's super successful.
Me: Movie Corner not Sports Corner. But maybe it's a comment on single parent households.
Joey: Addison and Sheffield! Give us Gift Cards!
Me: Cause he has to leave his kid.
Joey: Who?
Me: Tim Allen
Joey: But, it's that age old question, do you want your dad to be a regular dad? Or do you want your dad to be a star? What's better?
Me: Regular Dad hands down.
Joey: I see both (off)sides.
Me: I don't want my dad to be a movie star or Santa. Stop it.
Joey: #sportscorner (I want free stuff from that bar on Sheffield and Addison) Yeah, you're right! I LOVE my Dad! But, if my Dad, then became Santa, I kind of win, right?
Me: I just think that we're ignoring that this dad is literally abandoning his kid because we're so wrapped up in the elves flying in to save him in jail(love that part). You don't win. Didn't you see The Santa Clause 2?
Joey: Kind of though. I do. I win. I saw all 3!
Me: (spoiler alert) His kids on the naughty list.
Joey: Yeah, but that's the kids fault.
Me: No it's not. I would say that it's a societal problem of what's 'right' and 'wrong'.
Joey: Is Sally Fields in 2?
Me: The kid is doing pro-Christmas graffiti and gets caught. I don't think so.
Joey: Who? The main kid? Tim Allen's kid? Is doing graffiti?
Me: Yeah dude.
Joey: But, it's like pro-cool stuff though, right? Like Christmas? So, then, not really?
Me: That's what I mean, why is graffiti inherently bad? It's not.
Joey: It's like, you can't arrest someone who's robbing a rich person, to give to the poor.
Me: it's this pre-set standard of what puts you on the naughty list, it's bullshit.
Joey: Graffiti? That IS bullshit.
Me: Yeah he like repels into the gym.
Joey: The gym?
Me: And does like a Christmas tree or something.
Joey: Working out?
Me: The school gym dude.
Joey: What's that? A workout move? oh, oh.
Me: God damn it.
Joey: How old is the kid in this one?
Me: High school. The love interest is the principal, she was in 'Lost'.
Joey: I've got an idea for a 4th movie.
Me: What is it?
Joey: He's going to college, and Tim Allen's like, I could go back; I want to learn more, or whatever. And then it's essentially "Back to School".
Me: Like The Santa Clause: Higher Learning.
Joey: Yeah! Who was in Lost?
Me: His love interest in 2. Cause the premise of 2 is that he has to find Mrs. Clause.
Joey: Who was she?
Me: The blond lady who was an other but then hooks up with Jack.
Joey: Did Tim Allen write the 2nd and 3rd ones?
Me: He didn't write any of them. Whats your favorite part of the first one?
Joey: When he's trying to shave, but his beard keeps growing back so fast haahahahahahaaha. You?
Me: My favorite is the part where he comes down the chimney and it's a radiator but it turns into a fireplace.
Joey: hahahahaha that's pretty good, too. What about that part where he's like gaining all that weight and his clothes don't fit, and he's got that big presentation?
Me: Final thoughts Joseph?
Joey: I LOVED it! And Merry Christmas! And Happy Holidays!
Me: If you ever become Santa or another magical figure make sure you have weekly visitation rights for the kids you leave behind. The world isn't all cookies and cocoa. Happy Holidays.
Joey: All the movies in the world!
Me: We've seen 'em!

Breaking

When you laugh during a performance as your self not as the character it's called 'breaking'. I broke super hard in the last iO Salute Jive show.

I accidentally said George Hamilton(the actor) when I meant to say Alexander Hamilton(the guy on the $10 bill). There are two types of breaking- good and bad.

Good Breaking- When your scene partner surprises you so much that you can't help but laugh. The joy of the moment overcomes you so much you have to laugh. You make a mistake so blatant that you laugh at yourself.

Bad Breaking- When you get embarrassed or confused so you laugh. You laugh at yourself. You constantly laugh at your scene partner. You break so much that(or at a time when) it derails the scene or show.

There are a couple different schools of thought when it comes to breaking. Some coaches totally forbid it and harp on it when giving notes. Others never mention it no matter how distracting it is. For the most part I don't have a problem with it, especially when it's a genuine moment. I always get a real kick when my friends perform and they break.

For the most part, they're all good breaks.

Graffiti 43

Photo credit to Natalie

A line drawn taut
--against a mast
will not waver
--through a storm,
and all the gardens
--growing greener
will not keep your
--feet from rooting.
A white sail
--over black water
is where we come
--to know our bodies.

Jamison Talks Yelp

Recently I was thinking how much I hated Yelp, how pointless it is. Without divulging any of my feelings I asked Jamison for a 30 second rant about Yelp. Like a good friend he obliged. I wouldn't call it a rant, more like a thoughtful criticism.

'Hugo' A Review

'Hugo' is film about an orphan boy, Hugo, who lives in a train station. Past that it's unclear what the movie is trying to be about. Is it about being alone, is it about toys/clock work, is it about growing up, is it about dreams, is it about movies? The movie is incredibly vague and meandering with respect to it's subject matter. Reviewers have said it's Scorsese's homage to silent films, it's unfortunate silent films aren't actually mentioned or referred to until 100 minutes in. And the silent movie content was unrolled in a 15 minute montage.

The acting is wooden, especially Ben Kingsly's as 'surly' shop owner. All the characters go through no change, no emotional arc, and it's not apparent that they are even real people. Certainly there are plot devises that 'change' the characters, but by the acting you would be unable to tell.

The film is frustratingly long and gives little to no context who the main character is or what his motivations are. We see, in a flashback, Jude Law as Hugo's dad for maybe two minutes. In this flashback Hugo and his dad are repairing a mechanical toy man who writes. The first part of the movie is all about repairing this toy man because Hugo believes whatever it writes will be some kind of message or closure from his father. Once repaired the story abandons Hugo and his dad and shifts to Ben Kingsly's character. It's nonsensical poor-storytelling.

There is also some terrible comedic relief by Sacha Baron Cohen as the station security that seems as if it's in the wrong movie.

The film is unclear, unstructured, and unsatisfying.

Don't See It.

Graffiti 42

Outside the Landmark. If there's a reference I'm missing it.

Steve's Guide To Family

For my sister Marta

1. Stay Connected- Keep in touch with your family. You don't have to be in contact all the time: not once a day, not once a week, but stay in contact. Let your loved ones know how you're doing and what you're up to. Email, text, call. Don't let there be a gap.

2. Talk And Listen- Talk to your family. Tell them what's going on in your life: how your job is, what you're into, and if you're in love. Share your pain with them too, they're the only people in the world you can unload on and not feel bad about it. Tell them as much as you can and listen even more. Be interested and engaged in your family members lives. Listen to the little stupid things that no one else will listen to because sometimes those small things are big things.

3. Argue- You only have to worry about a certain amount of politeness when it comes to your family. If they are doing something you don't agree with or don't like, tell them. Feel free to call bullshit on them or fight back if they are making you feel mad, sad, or embarrassed. Keep in mind they are your family and you love them. Don't be mean, be constructive. Don't be biting, be logical. But make your point. Stand up.

3a. Check Yourself- Your family are people too. You know them the best so you know how to cut deep if you want to. Don't. Don't hit below the belt. Make your point but don't hit the nerve even though you know exactly where it is.

4. Eat Together- Share meals together. You don't have to talk. But break bread together. You're a family. A unit. It's something you don't share with anyone else. Sometimes they're the only ones you can count on. Sometimes it's you against the world.

5. Sit Together- You don't need a reason or an activity to be together. Watch a movie or TV and simply sit together. Read or check your email or write. Simply sit in the same room. Share the space. Sometimes doing that brings you closer than chatting. Exist together.

"There's nothing like family you know." -Al Pacino Scent Of A Woman

Music

A poem about music for the Beanpole

walking alone
through the bleak unknown
with strings that shriek
and horns that moan

listen careful
to life's faint tone
when you feel meek
which we all are prone

take strength
you are always home
when music swells
which is your own

'The Skin I Live In' A Review

The second worst movie I've ever seen. The worst being 'Blindness'. The film is about a mad scientist- his tragic past and his questionable experiments. The film has no redeeming qualities, no plot that can be followed, and no reason for its graphic grotesqueries. I asked myself many times while watching 'why was this made?' I'm yet to find an answer.

The characters have no motivation. The perverse sexuality has no purpose. The plot makes no sense.

Avoid At All Cost.

Graffiti 41

Signs from the universe.

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
-Emily Dickinson

"Man needs, for his happiness, not only the enjoyment of this or that, but hope and enterprise and change." -Bertrand Russell

The Devins: Revenge...?

Salute Jive has our last iO show tonight, 10pm. Come check us out!

Years later, the Devins get revenge. Or do they?

The Devins: Nerdsworth

The Devins go to the science lab.

'Immortals' A Review

Immortals is a visually intriguing but boring film. It has the same producers as '300' but not as much action, bad ass lines, or semblance of a plot. The movie takes a lot of liberties with the Greek mythology but not in an interesting or original way. Hyperion is waging wore on the country, Theseus sets out to save his people. The plot meanders, twists back on itself, but goes nowhere.

For an action movie, there was very little action. For a movie based in Greek mythology, there was very little magic or fantasy. For a movie that presumably had a large budget, it's unclear where the money went. Maybe to get Stephen Dorff.

Don't See It.

The Devins: Bunting

The Devins in high school.

'Into The Abyss' A Review

"I don't have to like you but I respect you as a human being." Herzog says toward the beginning of the documentary. Initially the film reminds me somewhat of 'Thin Blue Line' the Errol Morris documentary about a homicide. Quickly I realized the movie is about something entirely different. Herzog states at the beginning of the film he opposes the death penalty but his views are not overt within the film. It's not a political film its a frank portrayal of a situation. A glimpse at a moment in the lives of a few.

In 2001 three people were murdered for a car. Two 19 year old boys were found guilty and one is awaiting execution. Herzog briefly details the crime but is not concerned with the guilt of the men or in what exactly happened. He's concerned with how people cope with life and death.

The film is intricate, beautiful, heartrending, and briefly hopeful. The characters are fascinating and Herzog leaves us to draw our own conclusions. The most powerful character in the film is a former death row guard who participated in over 125 executions. He participated in the first execution of a female in the early 90's. After the execution he was haunted by her and all the other inmates he had executed and quit shortly after. His whole interview is moving but at the end of it he says something that sums up the whole movie. He says his friends have quoted a phrase to him 'live the dash' which he didn't understand. On your tombstone, he explains, you have your birth date and your death date with a dash in between. He decided he would live his life, as should we all.

Live The Dash.

Don't Miss It.

The Devins

The opening scene from Salute Jive last night. The Devins talk juicing.

Graffiti 40

"I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve." -Xavier Cugat

"My belief about acting is: one foot on a banana peel and the other one in the grave." -Mark Ruffalo

Cavendish bananas, which make up 99 percent of the bananas on the market today, are now facing extinction from a fungus called Tropical Race Four.

Food for thought.

Dino Life

Pants and I in a scene from last nights Rick show. Pants is a young brontosaurus and I'm a grizzled brontosaurus trying to teach him the ropes.

Reflections On The IOP

I finished the Out-Patient program yesterday. It was an interesting journey, I went in tired and blue and I came out awake and sharp. One part group therapy, one part lecture, and one part popery. It was a rolling admissions group so people could start at anytime with a wide range of addictions(from crack cocaine to alcohol) and sober time(1-50 days). I met some interesting people who I felt a kinship with. That is what made it so helpful. Getting in touch with people who understand where you're coming from and are going through similar experiences. You realize you're not alone. Three times a week I knew I could go somewhere and talk about my addiction and cravings and anxiety to a group of people with no overt connection to my life and they would understand.

People shared all kinds of things which at times I wasn't prepared to hear. Or which made my issues so shallow by comparison it made it much easier to deal with. Failed marriages, loved ones with cancer, relapses, dead-end jobs, despair. When I first went in I was the youngest person by ten years, half way through it was a group of young people, by my last night I was the youngest by a wide margin again. I found I identified with and got more out of the people around my age. People with two decades or more of addiction have a much different perspective, are in a much different place, which towards the end of my tenure I found virtually unrelatable. And if I'm being honest, irritating.

The problem I had was some of my fellow patients talking on and on without really saying anything, going into such minute detail about the minutia of their day, or spouting out unsolicited advise about the right way to do this or that. Most of the time those were the older patients which I guess I can excuse because they were older but more importantly their addiction was older.

For the most part everyone was great and from time to time someone would say something that totally resonated with me and made me feel like 'that's me, they're saying exactly what I'm feeling, they're saying exactly what I need to hear.'

I feel much better now: clear, well rested, stable. And I feel much better equipped to move on.

I'm grateful for the sun, the moon, and the cool cool night breeze.

Day 32

'Martha Marcy May Marlene' A Review

MMMM is about a girl in a cult. Martha escapes at the beginning and stays with her sister to recover. The movie is a series of flashbacks to her time with the cult from the present. I don't know why this movie was made. It's not entertaining or enjoyable to watch. The acting is superb but the subject matter is virtually unwatchable. The cult life is insidiously manipulative and disturbing. Martha's sister is remarkably obtuse. Elizabeth Olson gives an amazing performance but I don't know why. The movie doesn't tell a new story or say anything. The film is simply presented, this is.

Other than the subject matter I had two other issues with the film. I didn't believe that Martha would be brainwashed and indoctrinated into the cult as deeply as she was within two years. I didn't believe she would be so closed off about it while living with her sister. She doesn't mention or acknowledge her time there in anyway. She acts very strangely and it takes a nervous breakdown for her sister to get her psychiatric help. Her sister would have known way earlier that something was wrong psychology with her sister. There's a scene where Martha climbs into bed with her sister while she's having sex with her husband. Duh.

The ending, much like the entire film, says nothing. Leaves us with nothing. No explanation. No reason. No hope.

Don't See It.

Sci-Fi / Fantasy Books

I just finished 'The Magician King' and went to Barnes & Nobel to get another book. It's always difficult to find good Sci-Fi/Fantasy books because there's so many cheesy or bad ones. Here's a list of books I've enjoyed for my genre nerd friends.

Great:
Shadow/Claw, Sword/Citadel, Latro In The Mist, Soldier of Sidon, The Knight, The Wizard, Pirate Freedom, The Sorcerer's House -Gene Wolfe
Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth Stone, The Power That Perserves -Stephen R. Donaldson
Dune -Frank Herbert
A Song Of Ice And Fire -George R.R. Martin.
American Gods, Anansi Boys, Neverwhere, Stardust, The Graveyard Book -Neil Gaiman
The Name Of The Wind, The Wise Man's Fear -Patrick Ruthfuss
The Stand, The Dark Tower Series -Stephen King
Snow Crash -Neal Stephenson
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress -Robert A. Heinlein
The Space Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia -C.S. Lewis
The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, Last Argument For Kings -Joe Abercrombie
The Earthsea Series -Ursala K. LeGuin
Harry Potter Series -J.K. Rowling
Gun, With Occasional Music -Jonathan Letham

Good:
World War Z -Max Brooks
Jonathan Strange And Mr. Norrell -Susanna Clarke
The Riftwar Saga -Raymond E. Feist
The Shannara Series, Word & Void Series -Terry Brooks
Time Travelers Wife -Audrey Niffenegger
A Clockwork Orange -Anthony Burgess
A Brave New World -Aldous Huxley
The Xanth Series, The Incarnations Of Immortality Series, Apprentice Adept Series, Killobyte -Piers Anthony
A Canticle For Lebowitz -Walter M. Miller
The Repairman Jack Series -F. Paul Wilson

The Change Series -S.M. Stirling
The Hunger Games Trilogy- Suzanne Collins
Battle Royale -Koushun Takami
The Prestige -Christopher Priest
Blue Light -Walter Mosley
The Other End Of Time -Frank Pohl
The Magician, The Magician King -Lev Grossman
His Dark Materials -Philip Pullman
A Wrinkle In Time -Madeline L'Engle
Frankenstein -Mary Shelley
The Death Gate Cycle -Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Dragonriders of Pern Series -Anne McCaffrey

This is a work-in-progress comprehensive list, I'll be updating it periodically.

'In Time' A Review

'In Time' is a great idea for a movie but is incapable of capitalizing on it. The casting is off balance. The best actors are in the smallest parts and the worst actors are the leads. Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, and Matt Bomer all do great turns but they are in the movie so briefly they can't save it. Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried pollute the screen with their terrible line readings and mugging. I will never buy Justin Timberlake as an action hero because of his high-pitched creaky voice, he has no presence, no gravitas.

Like a lot of movies 'In Time' doesn't really know what to do with it's great idea. The world's economy is now run on time, if you run out of time you die. The rich can live forever, while the poor live day to day. A big problem is that there is no explanation as to why this happened or what time period were talking about, if it is even in fact earth. A rich guy gives Timberlake 100 years so he goes into the rich peoples timezone. He's quickly caught and the time is taken away which inspires him to go on a crime time spree.

I would have liked to see what he would actually have done with the time, integrating himself in to the rich peoples society. Instead the movie degenerates into a blatant rip off of a combination of 'Bonnie and Clyde', 'Robin Hood', and 'Badlands'. All originality is lost and a great supporting cast can't save Timberlake and Seyfried's wide-eyed shallowness and unwatchability.


Don't See It.

Dream Art

Beanpole has been working on a series of pieces where he has someone describe a dream they've had, he asks some questions, and then he creates an interpretation. I described a dream to him back in the summer which I can only vaguely recall. This was the end result. The title is "Steven J. Nelson: Live And In Person".

I've been dreaming a lot more recently. It's good to dream.

Day 24

Fall

Seasons change and so do we
anything you'd like to be
become whatever brings you glee
I would like to be a tree.

Roots dig deep and branches wide
the wind grows cold as the trees sigh
change they must but right on time
seasons bind them all in line.

Why can't I be a tree?
O' the things that I would see.

Graffiti 39

I'm not sure what the intention of this is suppose to be. I'm also not sure how I feel about it.

"I have come to cast fire upon the Earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!" -Gospel of Luke

"I don't even call it violence when it's in self defense; I call it intelligence" -Malcolm X

Street Talk 3

Outside during a smoke break from work.

Guy #1: I told you it'd be an epic weekend.
Guy #2: I thought we'd at least take Sunday off.
Guy #1: Naw man. Ragin'.
Guy #2: You see that sexy Freddy Kruger?
Guy #1: Oh yeah bro, those rips in her shirt were strategic.
Guy #2: Yeah, dude. She can haunt my dreams anytime, dude.
(they both chuckle, I get an image in my head of two dogs with tongues lolling out of their mouths)
Guy #1: Get ready for tonight man.
Guy #2: We're gonna take it to the limit.
Guy #1: For sure. Trick or treat bro.

Steve's Guide To A Good Show

1. Punctuality- Get to your show on time. If your group or cast meets 30 minutes or an hour before the show starts, that is the time you should get there. Being late is unprofessional. There is a reason you are asked to get to a show at a certain time. You need that time to get ready for the show with your cast/teammates. If you are running late, you are putting undue stress on your cast/teammates. If you are chronically late you are showing disrespect for your cast/teammates and the work you are doing.

2. Pre-Show Ritual- You have to warm-up in some way. This can be a standard warm-up game, doing bits with each other, or simply checking in about how you are doing. Some people have specific things they do before each show, I often have a Red Bull and right before I go on I jump up an down. You should also develop a specific way you come on stage (like a particular song), a specific way you introduce your show, and a specific way you ask for a suggestion. Start the show before the show. The show starts the instant the audience can see you.

3. Your Idea- At some point give yourself permission to do what you want to do. Make a move and have it be exactly what you want it to be. If it's a sketch show, there will probably be at least one sketch where you are the focus, embrace it and drive it.

4. Someone Elses Idea- At some point laser in on someone else's idea. Lift it up, make it the most important thing you can, set someone up to look smart and funny. Feed them. This will make them look good as well as you look good. It'll also make you feel good. People love watching teamwork and joy on stage.

5. Pace- Have a sense of how the show is going, how long the scenes are, and where they are in relation to the beginning and the end of the show. Vary it up. Imagine a show like a song, sometimes you need to speed it up, slow it down, solo, or take it to the bridge. An audience loves variety, give them as much as you can.

6. Clever/Fun- Be clever. People love watching witty people banter about funny subjects. Also have fun and be stupid. Sometimes after an intense relationship or political scene, a fart scene really hits the spot.

7. Sing- In an improv show, think about doing a song either in a scene or as a group. Songs are fun and audiences give you a lot of leeway if they know you're improvising. They also go nuts for it. It's like a parlor trick, "Hey look! They're singing!" In a sketch show, whatever songs you may have, practice them and sing them well. If you can't sing, don't know how to sing, or don't have a good singing voice: don't sing. A scripted song can look terrible if the performers are uncertain either about the material or their abilities.

8. Physical- Get physical. Play animals or objects or the weather. Get on chairs, play inanimate objects, run in place. Varying up the stage picture and how you use your body, this will excite and engage the audience. Don't rely on this, we're not clowns or mimes. But be aware of what you're doing, change it up and then change it again.

'The Three Musketeers' A Review

The best thing I can say for 'The Three Musketeers' is that I didn't get up during it to use the restroom. I was mildy entertained during the movie but any kind of reflection makes it fall apart. The first question I asked myself while watching it was "why?" there is no reason to remake this movie, they didn't top any of the earlier incarnations and brought nothing new to the story. This is officially the worst rated of any Three Musketeers incarnation.

The movie was so unoriginal I recognized specific lines of dialogue from the Disney Three Musketeers with Chris O'Donnell. It also seemed to have taken inspiration and concepts from the Sherlock Holmes reboot.

The acting was flat, the characters shallow, and the 'advanced' technology aspect was laughable. I've never been a fan of Orlando Bloom but he really outdid himself with an exceptionally awful performance as the Duke of Buckingham. At one point he plays with a butterfly knife in order to intimidate a prisoner. His acting and the fact that he's using a butterfly knife in the wrong century make the whole thing laughable.

The adaptation/reboot was poorly concieved, poorly written, and poorly executed.

Don't See It.

Panang Curry: Siam Country

Well, I'm on quite a losing streak. Went to Siam Country and had another sub-par Panang. The curry itself was very thin yet chunky as if it hadn't been cooked long enough. The dish as a whole tasted like nothing. No peanut flavor, no spice, no nothing. Some of the chicken was rubbery and undercooked. The red peppers were limp and there was a weird sharp leafy herb in there that seemed out of place. All in all a huge let down. Although I will say the owner/waiter was amazingly friendly and pleasant. Would I go again?

No way, no how.

Graffiti 38

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease." -John Muir

-----"It is fortunate
------to be favored
with praise and popularity.
------It is dire luck
------to be dependent
on the feelings of your fellow man."
-Viking Saying

Archive Art

This is the door to my Junior year college apartment. Bob, Beanpole, and I(me especially) went through a brief but intense hippy phase. We were listening to Keller Williams and The Grateful Dead like crazy.

Whenever we'd spend a night in together Bob and I would always goad Beanpole into doing some kind of art project. He got some kind of paint spray gun thing free and painted a dead head on our door but then it was painted over by our landlords so he did this one in sharpie. Needless to say we didn't get our security deposits back that year.

One night I had Beanpole draw a snake curling down my arm in sharpie. From my neck to my finger tip. I was flirting with the idea of getting a tattoo for a long time so I had him do stuff like that often. I had a 9-9 rehearsal the next day and was unable to wash any of it off. My director just looked at me and said "Fun night?"

It always was. Miss you guys.

Clouds

Sad and fluffy
000light and gay
000000float around
000000000all night and day.

0000000000000000000000000000000000Dissipate
0000000000000000000000000000000000000and form again
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000rolling on
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000without an end.

Melissa

Julia makes the case to Steve for naming their child Melissa, after the influencial Melissa Rivers.

Mammogram

A scene from last night's Salute Jive show. Julia does stand-up and shares something a little personal...

Panang Curry: Satay

Went to Satay for some Panang and I have to say it looks a lot better than it tasted. The curry at the very least had some peanut flavor and another veggie besides peppers(peas!) but it was lacking in many ways. There was no spice and the consistency was incredibly thick almost gelatinous. Anytime I get Panang and the waitress doesn't ask me how spicy I'd like it that's usually an indicator that it's not going to be very good. Also, Satay is a Thai/Sushi place which I feel like always means their Thai cuisine is lacking. Punam also got the Panang.

Punam:(dramatic frown) This is the worst Panang I've ever had.

It wasn't the worst I've had but certainly up there. Maybe I shouldn't be too hard on them because it's not exclusively Thai but still...For the second week in a row the highlight of the meal was the Thai iced coffee. Time to break out of this streak and find some good Panang. Would I go again?

No.

'Drive' A Review

'Drive' starts out as a good film. A strong complicated protagonist, nice action, quiet moments, a compelling love interest. Gosling is a stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver who has aspirations of stock car racing. He meets Carey Mulligan and her kid and finds out what a real family life could be like.

The movie takes a turn about forty minutes in with pointless violence, unrealistic character motivations, and plot lines that make no sense and others which are abandoned. It feels like the studio took over about half way through the movie with no consideration to telling an interesting story or making a cohesive narrative.

The score of the film as well as the titles have a distinctive 80's feel which doesn't mesh well with any part of the film. The acting is OK, certainly not bad, but the film doesn't really make sense. It's not clear what the film is suppose to be or how we're suppose to feel about any of the characters.

Rent It.

A Song of Ice and Fire

I just finished 'A Dance With Dragons' the most recent in George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. The fifth of seven. The fantasy series seemed to take the improv world by storm last winter before the HBO series premiered. A lot of people got hooked on it, including myself. As I progressed through the series however I became slightly turned off because it seemed George didn't really know where to go with the story. The fourth book in the series is set in the same time frame as the third but with a whole new collection of different characters. Not that the characters aren't interesting or their stories compelling but to me it seemed a delaying tactic. He's set up this really compelling interesting story where you want to know what happens and he's drawing it out to a painful length.

'A Dance With Dragons' came out this past July and I didn't really hear much about it after the initial release date. I just finished it and I realized why. No real action takes place. Don't get me wrong it's well written, interesting, and a page turner but it never gets anywhere. Every storyline is just a work in progress with no resolution and no end in site. At this point Geroge has written so many chapters from the perspective of so many characters we only get to hear from any given character two or three times in a thousand page book.

I enjoy the story, I can't wait to see how it ends but this most recent book left me wanting in every way. We got hints and glimpses of possible revelations to come but after a thousand pages I want and deserve more. Also there was a six year gap between the 4th and 5th book in the series so who knows when the next one will come out.

Talk about literary blue balls.

'50/50' A Review

'50/50' is a film about a young man who gets cancer and how he deals with it. It's funny, light, touching, and rings both true and false at points. Adam(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a flaky girlfriend who he doesn't know how to deal with, an over anxious mother, and a best friend Kyle(Seth Rogen) who takes nothing seriously. The movie plays out through his relationships with these three and their reactions to his cancer diagnosis.

A big part of the film is his frequent chemo treatments and his subsequent visits to his therapist Katie(Anna Kendrick). The most touching truthful parts of the film Adam's scenes with his fellow patients. The scenes are brief but you get a palpable genuineness from them, a playfulness.

The friendship between Adam and Kyle is great. It brings a lightness to the serious situation without making light of it. Just because you have cancer doesn't make you lose your sense of humor. Some people don't know exactly what to say to someone in that situation and the movie addresses that. There are two big black spots on the film for me. First is the doctor who gives Adam the news. He's so obtuse and distant he almost doesn't tell Adam he has cancer. A doctor with the worst bedside manner of all time would have been clearer and more compassionate. The second is Adam's girlfriend Rachel(Bryce Dallas Howard). She was played like a mustache twirling villain when they could have made her a real person and added a dimension to the film.

The movie was funny and (for the most part) felt true.

See It.

Graffiti 37

I can't decide if this is a mohawk or a Spartan helmet.

"We bow down before no man." -Spartan Saying

"I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing." -Mike Watt

'Real Steel' A Review

'Real Steel' is a fun, simple, predictable movie. The formula is age old, the only new thing is fighting robots, and I guess that's enough. It's best not to think to hard about the movie, just sit back and enjoy. Hugh Jackman is our down-on-his-luck former boxer trying to make it back to the top. The year is 2020 and human boxing has been replaced by robot boxing.

The movie opens with Charlie(Jackman) at a rodeo pitting his robot against a two ton bull. How the bull is actually suppose to have a chance, I don't understand. Charlie makes a bad bet and get's distracted by a pretty girl at a crucial moment and the bull destroys his robot. He welches on the bet and as he's sneaking off he's approached by two men. They tell him his former girlfriend is dead and he needs to go to a custody hearing for his son.

He takes custody of the kid, Max, and thus begins their reconciliation. They teach each other things and grow. Max finds Atom a sparing robot that they teach to box and brings them together as well as success and confidence. There is a climatic 'Rocky' type fight at the end with the undisputed robot champion.

It's cheesy and you can see every twist in the plot coming a mile away. But its fun and the chemistry between Jackman and Max is playful and sweet if not totally convincing. There are some major holes in the plot as far as how these robots work and what, if any, artificial intelligence they have. But who cares. It's a decent movie about a father reconnecting with his son...and robots fighting.

Rent It.

Panang Curry: Azha

Evidently I took a movie instead of actually taking a picture. The good thing is you can hear the odd classical music playing. It wouldn't be so odd if they didn't have the Bourne Ultimatum playing with subtitles in the restaurant as well.

Azha is in the running for the worst Panang I've had. The rice was overcooked and reminded me of the rice they served in my grade school cafeteria. The curry was thine with virtually no flavor whatsoever no spice and no peanut flavor. It did have green, red, and orange peppers but those in of them selves can't anchor the curry. The waiter was very nice but the atmosphere and the food left something to be desired. My Thai iced coffee was the highlight of the meal. Would I go again?

Nope.

Hand Of Fate

I do not believe in God, I believe in Fate. I believe we all have a purpose, a great arching purpose. And on the way to the big purpose you have many small purposes along the way. Some thing, some greater design or plan, puts you in certain situations because you're meant to be there. You're meant to make a difference, to help, to stand up and act.

I went to college at Illinois State University. All the dorms there have Subway's on the first floor. I OD'ed on Subway, always a foot long chicken teriyaki on wheat with cheese, olives, and sweet onion sauce. I was in the same dorm as a close friend of mine from high school, Drew, but didn't room with him. It was Sunday evening May first, May Day, my best friend and roommate was working at the local Bennigans so I had the room to myself. I was ignoring my calculus homework in favor of leveling up my characters in Final Fantasy 10. I got hungry around 8. I went down to get a sandwich and when the elevator doors opened there was Drew, dirty and crying.

Me: (concerned) Drew! What's up man? You OK?
Drew: (bawling, drunk) Fuck, man. I'm fucked up man.
Me: Drew, what's going on man, what happened.
Drew: LAX house(pronounced Lacrosse)...bands all day...this fucking hill man...slipped in the mud...shit man I think my ankle is broken...
Me: (very concerned) You broke your ankle?
Drew: Yeah. I heard a pop and then awwww...
Me: You walked from there?
Drew: Yeah.
Me: Jesus man. (all business) Stay right here, don't move.
(goes to subway, fills up a Subway to go bag with ice, returns)
Me: Alright, lets get you up to your room.
Drew: (slings arm around shoulder and hobbles)
Me: Here's what were gonna do. Were gonna go up to your room, you're going to lie down and ice your ankle. You have your car keys?
Drew: ...yeah...
Me: Give them to me. (he does) Good. Where's your car?
Drew: ...um...ahhh...
Me: Come on man.
Drew: ...Hester...Hester and School.
Me: Good. After we get you situated I'm going to go get your car, pull it out front and then comeback here and get you. I can probably be there and back in 15 minutes. Can you handle that or do you need an ambulance.
Drew: (tears leaking out) Naw man. Come get me.
Me: Alright. Then we're gonna go to the ER and get you fixed up. I'm here man. I know it hurts but I'm here and this will be OK.
Drew: (starting to cry)...My dad is gonna be so mad...
Me: (sharply) Fuck that. You're gonna be OK and that's the important thing. Look at me. Look at me(he does). It hurts, you're fucked up, I know. Everything is gonna be fine man. You're gonna be OK. You walked home from the LAX house you crazy fuck(grins). I'll take care of the rest.

He was fine. The ER checked his leg and it was a hairline fracture. He needed to wear a brace for two months and it was tender after but he came out OK.

Afterwards I reflected. Why did I come down at the exact moment he was coming up? Would he have called me when he got to his room? It seemed to me too perfect, too much of a coincidence. I think I was meant to be there. I was meant to help my friend who I eventually became estranged from. He wasn't a great friend, we didn't get along in college. But I was glad. I was happy to help my friend who had befriended me in high school when not many did. I was glad to help out someone who was hurt and lost and needed someone to take care of them. Something put me there. I was guided there...

By the Hand of Fate.

Graffiti 36

This was outside the movie theater, it made me wonder, who put this up? Was it the girl, is she really into herself and puts up stickers of herself. Or is it the ex-boyfriend of this girl and he's trying to send her a message to let her know he wants to get back together. Or its some total creep who just likes the person who he saw across the street and became obsessed. Is it her current boyfriend who is making a statement of his unfailing love. I don't know.

"A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction." -Oscar Wilde

"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." -George Orwell

'Rocket Science' A Review

'Rocket Science' is an off-beat coming of age movie that came out in 2007. The movie centers around Hal, a high schooler with a stutter. The star of the debate team, Ginny, inexplicably recruits him on her quest for the debate championship.

What follows is an interesting investigation of first loves, first heartbreaks, and ambitions. Hal fights against his position the whole movie. Fights against the fact he's an outcast, fights against his stutter, fights against his waning adolescence. He fights against the fact he's horribly outmatched by Ginny intellectually and sexually. The film is very unique in the fact it approaches growing up from a very real place. It has a wonderful score that extenuates many moments in the film. The fast talking back drop of debate also adds a playfulness to the film. All the characters are large and real. They talk how normal people talk and want what normal people want. They want a place, they want validation, they want some kind of explanation. It's a moving, fun film that even if you don't enjoy, rings true of growing up.

See It.

'Moneyball' A Review

Went to see the late showing of 'Moneyball' with Tisher tonight. It came highly recommended from my mom.

'Moneyball' is about the Oakland A's GM and his frustration about how the MLB works with all the rich teams having an unfair advantage over the poorer teams. Brad Pitt meets Jonah Hill and they implement a new idea, to stack the team by statistics of who gets on base the most. They attempt to structure the team to optimize runs rather than anything else. The idea behind this may be very interesting to sports fans or baseball fanatics. I was mildly interested in exactly what they were implementing but more interested in their passion for it.

What carries the movie is Brad Pitts fervor to change the game, his need to reinvent it, his desire to be remembered. Also the chemistry between Pitt and Hill is great. Pitt as a mentor and partner, leaning on hill for his ideas and his smarts but also teaching him how to work at the MLB. There's a scene where Pitt makes Hill let him go because he says hill have to cut, trade, or bust down a player one day. That scene really pays off when Pitt and Hill make a big trade and they both have to release players. It's the first time I've ever scene Jonah Hill be still or quiet or low status and it was great. The idea of what their trying to implement and their passion for it makes for a really interesting friendship between both characters.

The low points were few. Philip Seymour Hoffman as the manager was one. There seemed no point for him even to be in the movie. Whenever he was on screen he just frowned. He showed no emotion and no range. That could have been what they were going for but in that case there's no need to hire Philip Seymour Hoffman. It seemed to me the only reason he was in the movie was to have another star on the cast list. The movie also felt kind of long but to be fair I did see it at 10:20 on a Wednesday.

The acting was great, the chemistry between the characters drew you in, and the story was compelling.

See It.

Day Of The Dead

Beanpole's submission to a Day Of The Dead art show.

"Even at our birth, death does but stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh." -Robert Bolt

"Unbeing dead isn't being alive." -e.e. cummings

Sunflower

It's the small things
the things you miss
that get you through.

the lick of the sun
on your cheek

the soda-fizz
that tickles your nose

the warm nuzzle
from a passing dog

a single flower
that sees you
and smiles
and says

I'm here too.

Graffiti 35

This stencil was on the sidewalk next to a playground by my house.

"The most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop." -Mark Twain

"Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." -John F. Kennedy

"Children begin by loving their parents; after a time they judge them; rarely, if ever, do they forgive them." -Oscar Wilde