Today, most of you will be out there celebrating New Year's Eve. So will we, but we also have the added bonus of celebrating the Bean's birthday. Yup, today the little man is turning the big 0-4. (Insert usual parental remark about how fast time flies here.)
Happy birthday buddy boy. I love you and I love the person you are becoming. And keep up the antics. I have a blog to write here.
To the rest of you, have an awesome Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
End of the Aughts: A Wrap Up (of Sorts) with Sorry For the Convenience, Part 2
Here is the second half of conversation between me and Your Escalator Operator, blogger extraordinaire from the site Sorry For the Convenience. We set out to wrap up the decade that is the aughts. Were we able to put a fine point on it all? Probably not, but we did discuss music, concerts, iPods and that YEO and I have totally different tastes in movies. Read below:
(In case you missed it, check out Part 1 on SFTC.)
SFTC: So, have you had any unforgettable pop-culture personal experiences in the 2000s?
DGB: Well, two major iconic pop culture events this decade: Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I was never a huge LOTR fan, but the sheer magnitude of those three movies is amazing. You hear about the "unfilmable" books and how Peter Jackson's doing them all at once. And seeing that first one and thinking, "he's really done it" was kind of breathtaking.
SFTC: I'm one of the 45 people who's never seen any of the LOTR movies. (It's amazing you're still talking to me.)
DGB: Really?? What's kept you from them?
SFTC: I do hear that there's a lot to like and that they were so well done, but just not my kind of movie.
DGB: Okay, let's move to the other big one, Harry Potter. Read them? Seen them?
SFTC: I read the first few books and saw the first two or three movies. Then it all started running together and I gave up. But those first few movies were pretty spectacular.
DGB: The Harry Potter books are for the ages. They will live on for generations to come. I think it's amazing that we are living during their first wave of popularity.
SFTC: Those movies definitely worked their way into my subconscious - I think I've had dreams involving various aspects of the stories and effects, and that's saying something since it's not really my No. 1 genre.
DGB: I can't wait to share them with my kids.
SFTC: Shifting gears juuuust a little: So, I know your musical favorites include Phish. Tell me about your big music moments - concerts, recordings, discoveries - from the decade!
DGB: You can't really talk about music without first talking about the iPod.
SFTC: Very true. Don't know if I could live without mine. How many songs on yours?
DGB: I've only got 3,540. I was in the process of transferring old CDs when my hard drive ran out of space. I've since gotten a new computer with more memory, but have not gone back to the project. You?
SFTC: Same happened to me - I got them all onto my iPod and then started deleting them from the PC. Then got a new external drive and started putting them back on the computer. Anyway, I think I just recently passed 6,000 on the iPod.
DGB: New music aside, it's amazing to go back and listen to old stuff. I've always been a big fan of mix tapes and an iPod is like one giant mix tape. Musically this year, Ben Folds replaced a hole that was vacated by Billy Joel.
SFTC: That's the first time I've heard (or thought about) both of them in the same context, but I hear ya.
DGB: I also listened to a lot of G. Love and Special Sauce and Jack Johnson.
SFTC: You know, I need some more Jack on my iPod.
DGB: (Things that sound dirty, but aren't.)
SFTC: I've actually been listening to The Cars greatest hits on the iPod a lot this week. The TV show Glee had one of their big hits (either Magic or You Might Think) on last week's episode, and I realized I need to get my Cars CD loaded up. So that's in heavy rotation now.
For me, it's easy to pick the music that represents the 2000s to me - from the start of the decade to the end, it's been all about Wilco. I got to hear them live once or twice in Chicago (their home base) before their big breakthrough album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and I was hooked.
DGB: I have three Wilco songs - Kamera, Hate It Here and Box Full of Letters - on my iPod. Weirdly that's the extent of my knowledge of them. However, I really dig all three songs.
SFTC: Good selections! Funny about Hate it Here - when I first got the album, I loved that song and I played it for my wife and because the lyrics are about a breakup, that was the last time she's listened to it! I also loved another of their songs from about the same time, "The Thanks I Get," which was in a VW commercial. I played it for her and the same thing - the main idea is "Is that the thanks I get for loving you?" - and although I really just loved it because of the music, she didn't appreciate the message and won't listen to it anymore. Oh well.
DGB: WonderWife™ wants nothing to do with Phish, if it makes you feel any better.
SFTC: It does - thanks. Luckily, my wife hasn't dismissed all Wilco. She even went to a concert at the Greek with me last year or the year before.
DGB: I've gone to a number of Phish shows solo. Though I did meet ZenMom's husband at the last one. ZM was the devil on my shoulder who got me to go. I wrote this post about how being a dad keeps me from doing things I want to do and she pings me and says, “who says you have to go for all three nights?”
SFTC: Could you pick a favorite single concert of the '00s, or was that it?
DGB: Wow...great question. My favorite show was, predictably, a Phish show. The Forum on Valentine's Day in '03. WonderWife™ was gracious enough to let me go.
SFTC: Cool - why that one in particular?
DGB: I loved the first set they played. I loved where my seats were. I was with a good friend.
SFTC: Funny it was on V-Day.
DGB: I know. It was all romantic and stuff. You know how those hippies are.
SFTC: I've heard, yeah.
DGB: I'm guessing yours was a Wilco concert?
SFTC: Actually, the one that gave me the biggest feeling of "I can't believe I get to see this in person" was Paul McCartney at the United Center in Chicago - I think in 2002. I won't admit that I (almost) cried, but ....
DGB: That is awesome!
Ok, so to wrap it up... what will you remember most about the aughts?
SFTC: Personal event(s): Moving to Los Angeles and getting married, both in 2007..... Events I wasn't directly involved in: 9/11, by a landslide. What about you?
DGB: I grew up this decade. Got married and had two kids. Yet I still don't feel grown up at all.
(In case you missed it, check out Part 1 on SFTC.)
SFTC: So, have you had any unforgettable pop-culture personal experiences in the 2000s?
DGB: Well, two major iconic pop culture events this decade: Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I was never a huge LOTR fan, but the sheer magnitude of those three movies is amazing. You hear about the "unfilmable" books and how Peter Jackson's doing them all at once. And seeing that first one and thinking, "he's really done it" was kind of breathtaking.
SFTC: I'm one of the 45 people who's never seen any of the LOTR movies. (It's amazing you're still talking to me.)
DGB: Really?? What's kept you from them?
SFTC: I do hear that there's a lot to like and that they were so well done, but just not my kind of movie.
DGB: Okay, let's move to the other big one, Harry Potter. Read them? Seen them?
SFTC: I read the first few books and saw the first two or three movies. Then it all started running together and I gave up. But those first few movies were pretty spectacular.
DGB: The Harry Potter books are for the ages. They will live on for generations to come. I think it's amazing that we are living during their first wave of popularity.
SFTC: Those movies definitely worked their way into my subconscious - I think I've had dreams involving various aspects of the stories and effects, and that's saying something since it's not really my No. 1 genre.
DGB: I can't wait to share them with my kids.
SFTC: Shifting gears juuuust a little: So, I know your musical favorites include Phish. Tell me about your big music moments - concerts, recordings, discoveries - from the decade!
DGB: You can't really talk about music without first talking about the iPod.
SFTC: Very true. Don't know if I could live without mine. How many songs on yours?
DGB: I've only got 3,540. I was in the process of transferring old CDs when my hard drive ran out of space. I've since gotten a new computer with more memory, but have not gone back to the project. You?
SFTC: Same happened to me - I got them all onto my iPod and then started deleting them from the PC. Then got a new external drive and started putting them back on the computer. Anyway, I think I just recently passed 6,000 on the iPod.
DGB: New music aside, it's amazing to go back and listen to old stuff. I've always been a big fan of mix tapes and an iPod is like one giant mix tape. Musically this year, Ben Folds replaced a hole that was vacated by Billy Joel.
SFTC: That's the first time I've heard (or thought about) both of them in the same context, but I hear ya.
DGB: I also listened to a lot of G. Love and Special Sauce and Jack Johnson.
SFTC: You know, I need some more Jack on my iPod.
DGB: (Things that sound dirty, but aren't.)
SFTC: I've actually been listening to The Cars greatest hits on the iPod a lot this week. The TV show Glee had one of their big hits (either Magic or You Might Think) on last week's episode, and I realized I need to get my Cars CD loaded up. So that's in heavy rotation now.
For me, it's easy to pick the music that represents the 2000s to me - from the start of the decade to the end, it's been all about Wilco. I got to hear them live once or twice in Chicago (their home base) before their big breakthrough album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and I was hooked.
DGB: I have three Wilco songs - Kamera, Hate It Here and Box Full of Letters - on my iPod. Weirdly that's the extent of my knowledge of them. However, I really dig all three songs.
SFTC: Good selections! Funny about Hate it Here - when I first got the album, I loved that song and I played it for my wife and because the lyrics are about a breakup, that was the last time she's listened to it! I also loved another of their songs from about the same time, "The Thanks I Get," which was in a VW commercial. I played it for her and the same thing - the main idea is "Is that the thanks I get for loving you?" - and although I really just loved it because of the music, she didn't appreciate the message and won't listen to it anymore. Oh well.
DGB: WonderWife™ wants nothing to do with Phish, if it makes you feel any better.
SFTC: It does - thanks. Luckily, my wife hasn't dismissed all Wilco. She even went to a concert at the Greek with me last year or the year before.
DGB: I've gone to a number of Phish shows solo. Though I did meet ZenMom's husband at the last one. ZM was the devil on my shoulder who got me to go. I wrote this post about how being a dad keeps me from doing things I want to do and she pings me and says, “who says you have to go for all three nights?”
SFTC: Could you pick a favorite single concert of the '00s, or was that it?
DGB: Wow...great question. My favorite show was, predictably, a Phish show. The Forum on Valentine's Day in '03. WonderWife™ was gracious enough to let me go.
SFTC: Cool - why that one in particular?
DGB: I loved the first set they played. I loved where my seats were. I was with a good friend.
SFTC: Funny it was on V-Day.
DGB: I know. It was all romantic and stuff. You know how those hippies are.
SFTC: I've heard, yeah.
DGB: I'm guessing yours was a Wilco concert?
SFTC: Actually, the one that gave me the biggest feeling of "I can't believe I get to see this in person" was Paul McCartney at the United Center in Chicago - I think in 2002. I won't admit that I (almost) cried, but ....
DGB: That is awesome!
Ok, so to wrap it up... what will you remember most about the aughts?
SFTC: Personal event(s): Moving to Los Angeles and getting married, both in 2007..... Events I wasn't directly involved in: 9/11, by a landslide. What about you?
DGB: I grew up this decade. Got married and had two kids. Yet I still don't feel grown up at all.
Monday, December 28, 2009
End of the Aughts: A Wrap Up (of Sorts) with Sorry For the Convenience, Part 1
It's the end of the decade we've come to know as the aughts.* Your Escalator Operator, the guy behind one of my favorite blogs Sorry For the Convenience, and I got to talking as some sort of attempt to sum it all up. Our mission was to inform as well as entertain. I'm not sure we did any of the former, but I hope we accomplished the latter.
Click on over to Your Escalator Operator's site for Part One. Part Two will be posted here tomorrow.
*On a side note, I'm really glad somebody finally came up with what to call this decade. I spent the first five or six years calling them the "O's" which never sounded right.
Click on over to Your Escalator Operator's site for Part One. Part Two will be posted here tomorrow.
*On a side note, I'm really glad somebody finally came up with what to call this decade. I spent the first five or six years calling them the "O's" which never sounded right.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Bacon Coffee
One morning, I checked Twitter and found this:
It amuses and horrifies me that my unabashed love of bacon has inspired people to alert me when they find things like this.
Seriously, bacon coffee? I was simultaneously aghast and intrigued. I’ve learned the hard way that just because something can be made to taste like bacon doesn’t mean that it should. As much as I love coffee and as much as I love bacon, I have never once had a craving to combine them. But far be it for me to turn down trying a bacon-flavored product. So I clicked over to Boca Java’s website and bought a bag of their maple bacon flavored coffee. In 5-7 business days, it arrived.
“Oh, I don’t like the smell of that at all!” was WonderWife’s™ reaction immediately after I opened the bag. She has the olfactory senses of a championship bloodhound. She also has no sense of adventure.
Honestly, the beans did have a smell that reminded me a bit of the bacon vodka but that didn’t stop me from busting out the percolator. (Yes, I use an old school percolator to brew my coffee. It rocks!) When the java was done, I poured it into a mug and took a big whiff.
“It smells like coffee,” I told WW™.
“It smells offensive,” she said dismissively.
I can’t stand hot so it usually takes 20 minutes after my coffee is poured before it’s cool enough for me to drink. This meant that I would be sampling bacon coffee en route to work. Stuck in traffic, I figured it might be a good time to take a sip.
Know what? Bacon coffee isn’t bad. The Boca Java coffee is rich and has a bold flavor. It’s strong, but not over-roasted like they way it is at the coffee behemoth. However, the bacon taste isn’t very present. There is a hint of smokiness and a little bit of sweet at the back, but if you were to give me this coffee blind I’m not sure I would be able to tell you that it was bacon flavored.
At the end of the day the great bacon coffee experiment is kind of a wash. Boca Java’s coffee is really good and the bacon is subtle enough that I would order it again. But if you’re looking for a true bacon coffee experience, you’re better off frying up a few slices and dunking them into a cup o’ joe.
It amuses and horrifies me that my unabashed love of bacon has inspired people to alert me when they find things like this.
Seriously, bacon coffee? I was simultaneously aghast and intrigued. I’ve learned the hard way that just because something can be made to taste like bacon doesn’t mean that it should. As much as I love coffee and as much as I love bacon, I have never once had a craving to combine them. But far be it for me to turn down trying a bacon-flavored product. So I clicked over to Boca Java’s website and bought a bag of their maple bacon flavored coffee. In 5-7 business days, it arrived.
“Oh, I don’t like the smell of that at all!” was WonderWife’s™ reaction immediately after I opened the bag. She has the olfactory senses of a championship bloodhound. She also has no sense of adventure.
Honestly, the beans did have a smell that reminded me a bit of the bacon vodka but that didn’t stop me from busting out the percolator. (Yes, I use an old school percolator to brew my coffee. It rocks!) When the java was done, I poured it into a mug and took a big whiff.
“It smells like coffee,” I told WW™.
“It smells offensive,” she said dismissively.
I can’t stand hot so it usually takes 20 minutes after my coffee is poured before it’s cool enough for me to drink. This meant that I would be sampling bacon coffee en route to work. Stuck in traffic, I figured it might be a good time to take a sip.
Know what? Bacon coffee isn’t bad. The Boca Java coffee is rich and has a bold flavor. It’s strong, but not over-roasted like they way it is at the coffee behemoth. However, the bacon taste isn’t very present. There is a hint of smokiness and a little bit of sweet at the back, but if you were to give me this coffee blind I’m not sure I would be able to tell you that it was bacon flavored.
At the end of the day the great bacon coffee experiment is kind of a wash. Boca Java’s coffee is really good and the bacon is subtle enough that I would order it again. But if you’re looking for a true bacon coffee experience, you’re better off frying up a few slices and dunking them into a cup o’ joe.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
I'm a Top Dad!
You may have noticed a shiny new banner in the right hand column of the blog. AlmightyDad put together a list of the top dad bloggers and I'm proud to say that I made the list--in the top half, even (#52)! A huge jump over last year where I was ranked #98 (though I didn't even know I was on this list last year).
It's also great to see my other blog home Hot Dads on the list as well (#45).
So thanks to Keith at Almighty Dad for assembling what I'm sure was a crack team devoting countless man-hours to this research. I'm very happy to be a Top Dad.
It's also great to see my other blog home Hot Dads on the list as well (#45).
So thanks to Keith at Almighty Dad for assembling what I'm sure was a crack team devoting countless man-hours to this research. I'm very happy to be a Top Dad.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Inevitable Avatar Post, Part 2: The Review (spoiler free)
Let’s just say this right up front: Avatar will not meet the extraordinarily lofty expectations that have been placed on it. I don’t think that any movie truly could. But it comes close. Avatar is a beautiful, groundbreaking spectacle that instantly sets a new bar for computer animation.
It's clear that James Cameron’s main goal with Avatar is to transport the viewer into a new world. He does this through jaw-droppingly real looking computer animation. In the movie, we swoop over vibrant landscapes, crawl through jungles and soar around mountains. Cameron shows off the rich world of Pandora like a new parent would their baby.
I loved being in Pandora and basking in its phosphorescent glow. The animation is stunning and as the movie unfolds it keeps revealing surprise after dazzling surprise. There were many times I had to remind myself that what I was seeing was created by a computer.
To heighten the experience Cameron uses 3D very effectively to draw the viewer into the movie. If your only 3D experience has been at a theme park, you are in for a surprise. The 3D in Avatar is never used as a gimmick where objects are purposely aimed at the audience. Instead, 3D is used to make you feel as if you a part of this world. In 3D the movie envelops you. The scenery has depth. Objects like leaves, bugs, smoke or debris sometimes obscure your view. It’s a cool a subtle way to make the viewer feel like they are directly in the scene.
I’m not sure if the movie would be as effective in 2D. The visuals would still be eye-catching, but I’m not sure if it would pull audiences in the same way. If possible, I strongly suggest seeing the movie in a gigantic sized Imax theater, where this world projected onto a 30-foot screen is an incredible sensory event.
For all of its beauty, the film does come up short in the story department. The plot has a simple narrative that lacks surprises. It’s really only there to provide a clothesline over which shot after shot of gorgeous scenery can be draped. The story doesn’t ask a lot from the audience while making obvious statements about human greed, evil corporations and war-mongering military operations. Yes, war is bad and saving the planet is good. These are hardly controversial political stances. It’s great that the movie has a message, but it’s all just to service a standard good vs. evil plot where the bad guys are humans and the altruistic good guys come in the form of blue-skinned cat-like creatures, called the Na’vi.
The film’s biggest feat is how it brings the Na’vi to life. Cameron and company have created a detailed language, philosophy and culture for the Na’vi that is a mix of Creole, African, Native American and Wiccan. Though totally rendered in CG the nuances of the actor’s performances show through, making the Na’vi fully realized and sympathetic characters.
With a running time of 2 hours, 40 minutes it’s a long movie, but it moved along swiftly. The first half is definitely stronger, featuring most of the spectacular views of Pandora. The movie turns darker and suffers from a few cheesy moments in the second hour. But hang in there, because it finishes with an explosive action-packed climax that makes up for any indiscretions that may have come before it.
Speaking of action, the action scenes in the film are breathtaking. Cameron is a confident filmmaker who thankfully doesn’t need to hide behind quick edits or shaky camerawork. He uses wide shots and even slow motion to highlight the action and provide a sense of geography even in the most chaotic of fight scenes.
At the end of the day, Avatar is not a perfect movie but it is a landmark film that is going to revolutionize the way movies are made. It will give filmmakers more freedom to create exotic worlds and immerse audiences in them. For that alone James Cameron should be applauded.
As for me, my jaw was on the floor during most of the movie. Yes it has its faults but Avatar is way more good than bad. I totally dug my trip to Pandora and can't wait to travel there again.
It's clear that James Cameron’s main goal with Avatar is to transport the viewer into a new world. He does this through jaw-droppingly real looking computer animation. In the movie, we swoop over vibrant landscapes, crawl through jungles and soar around mountains. Cameron shows off the rich world of Pandora like a new parent would their baby.
I loved being in Pandora and basking in its phosphorescent glow. The animation is stunning and as the movie unfolds it keeps revealing surprise after dazzling surprise. There were many times I had to remind myself that what I was seeing was created by a computer.
To heighten the experience Cameron uses 3D very effectively to draw the viewer into the movie. If your only 3D experience has been at a theme park, you are in for a surprise. The 3D in Avatar is never used as a gimmick where objects are purposely aimed at the audience. Instead, 3D is used to make you feel as if you a part of this world. In 3D the movie envelops you. The scenery has depth. Objects like leaves, bugs, smoke or debris sometimes obscure your view. It’s a cool a subtle way to make the viewer feel like they are directly in the scene.
I’m not sure if the movie would be as effective in 2D. The visuals would still be eye-catching, but I’m not sure if it would pull audiences in the same way. If possible, I strongly suggest seeing the movie in a gigantic sized Imax theater, where this world projected onto a 30-foot screen is an incredible sensory event.
For all of its beauty, the film does come up short in the story department. The plot has a simple narrative that lacks surprises. It’s really only there to provide a clothesline over which shot after shot of gorgeous scenery can be draped. The story doesn’t ask a lot from the audience while making obvious statements about human greed, evil corporations and war-mongering military operations. Yes, war is bad and saving the planet is good. These are hardly controversial political stances. It’s great that the movie has a message, but it’s all just to service a standard good vs. evil plot where the bad guys are humans and the altruistic good guys come in the form of blue-skinned cat-like creatures, called the Na’vi.
The film’s biggest feat is how it brings the Na’vi to life. Cameron and company have created a detailed language, philosophy and culture for the Na’vi that is a mix of Creole, African, Native American and Wiccan. Though totally rendered in CG the nuances of the actor’s performances show through, making the Na’vi fully realized and sympathetic characters.
With a running time of 2 hours, 40 minutes it’s a long movie, but it moved along swiftly. The first half is definitely stronger, featuring most of the spectacular views of Pandora. The movie turns darker and suffers from a few cheesy moments in the second hour. But hang in there, because it finishes with an explosive action-packed climax that makes up for any indiscretions that may have come before it.
Speaking of action, the action scenes in the film are breathtaking. Cameron is a confident filmmaker who thankfully doesn’t need to hide behind quick edits or shaky camerawork. He uses wide shots and even slow motion to highlight the action and provide a sense of geography even in the most chaotic of fight scenes.
At the end of the day, Avatar is not a perfect movie but it is a landmark film that is going to revolutionize the way movies are made. It will give filmmakers more freedom to create exotic worlds and immerse audiences in them. For that alone James Cameron should be applauded.
As for me, my jaw was on the floor during most of the movie. Yes it has its faults but Avatar is way more good than bad. I totally dug my trip to Pandora and can't wait to travel there again.
Saab: Fail
I'm usually not one to root for people to fail, but hearing about this article made me smile. I spent a few tumultuous years as a Saab owner and never has a product and the service around a product filled me with such contempt for a company.
It tickles me that every month a few people find their way to my blog using the keywords "Saabs suck". I feel bad that others are having their own car troubles, but I'm glad to know that I'm not alone.
So farewell Saab! I'm sorry for the people who are losing their jobs as a result of your failure, but I'm not sorry to see you go.
It tickles me that every month a few people find their way to my blog using the keywords "Saabs suck". I feel bad that others are having their own car troubles, but I'm glad to know that I'm not alone.
So farewell Saab! I'm sorry for the people who are losing their jobs as a result of your failure, but I'm not sorry to see you go.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Gender Toys: the Video Game vs. the Dollhouse
Over at Hot Dads today, a post about toys and gender based on this tweet:
Check it out!
(Oh, and since we're talking Twitter, you may want to check me out over there too.)
Check it out! (Oh, and since we're talking Twitter, you may want to check me out over there too.)
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Inevitable Avatar Post, Part 1: Expectations
Expectation plays a huge role in the movie going experience. Whether or not you think you’re going to like a movie has a direct impact on whether or not you actually do like a movie. It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised by a flick you thought was going to suck, but it’s awful to be disappointed by something that seemed like it was going to be great. But what creates these expectations?
Rabid fanboys feed on any scrap of information about an upcoming movie, then make a snap judgment about the movie and post it on the web. After a while, these separate decisions meld together to form one collective opinion, commonly referred to as “buzz.” Buzz is what sets expectations for a movie and, like it or not, it has become the lifeblood of the modern popcorn movie. Most of the time, buzz is built as a movie is being made, but sometimes buzz can be created through anticipation. In the 20 years between Star Wars movies, fans grew so itchy for new Star Wars that it didn’t matter if the new movies weren’t very good.
Once upon a time there was a filmmaker who beat bad buzz. It seems hard to imagine now, but James Cameron’s Titanic was purported to be a colossal flop. It was over budget and over schedule. But Cameron had the last laugh when the movie was seen by everyone who could take in oxygen and made just over a kabillion dollars.
It’s been a decade since James Cameron’s last movie. He’s been out of the limelight for so long that there is a generation of young movie fans who think that McG directed Terminator. But those of us fanboys who are old enough to know better have been eagerly anticipating his next move.
In the aftermath of Titanic, Cameron wanted to make this movie he’d written called Avatar, but technology wasn’t good enough for him to be able to pull it off. At this point most filmmakers would move on to something else, but Cameron, in his interminably stubborn way, said ‘screw it’ and set about inventing the technology he needed to make his movie.
Three years ago, it was announced that Avatar was finally going into production. The project was shrouded in secrecy. The only thing that was known was that it was destined to be spectacular. We were told it was going to change movies forever.
That last statement is a dangerous one. It set the bar for Avatar impossibly high from the very beginning.
Last summer at Comic Con—the current birthplace of movie buzz—Cameron unveiled 10 minutes of footage from the movie. Fans waited for 4 hours to get a glimpse of the “future of movies” (which is a long time for anyone to spend in stuffy convention hall squeezed into a Stormtrooper costume). The immediate reaction to what they saw was…”meh”. The bad buzz began to build.
James Cameron is nothing if not a master showman and he’s always said that Avatar is meant to be seen in as large a format as possible in 3D. So a few months ago, 15 minutes of the film where screened for audiences in Imax theaters around the country. Reactions were again mixed.
At this point, it’s unclear if Avatar is going to revolutionize movies, like Star Wars, Terminator 2 or The Matrix, or go down in history as another overpriced, bloated flop alongside Waterworld and Ishtar.
I say let the fanboys throw barbs behind the shield of anonymity that is the internet. Let them debate if the aliens in the movie look as if a Thundercat mated with a Smurf. I don’t care. I’m in. Bad buzz or not, you had me at “a film by James Cameron.” I’m trying not to create expectations for the movie because the only way I will know where it belongs in the annals of cinematic and pop culture history is by planting myself in front of an Imax screen, strapping on a pair of 3D glasses and experiencing it for myself.
After 11 years of buildup, Avatar opens in theaters this weekend. My ticket is bought and I am anxiously waiting for my chance to see it.
To be continued…
Rabid fanboys feed on any scrap of information about an upcoming movie, then make a snap judgment about the movie and post it on the web. After a while, these separate decisions meld together to form one collective opinion, commonly referred to as “buzz.” Buzz is what sets expectations for a movie and, like it or not, it has become the lifeblood of the modern popcorn movie. Most of the time, buzz is built as a movie is being made, but sometimes buzz can be created through anticipation. In the 20 years between Star Wars movies, fans grew so itchy for new Star Wars that it didn’t matter if the new movies weren’t very good.
Once upon a time there was a filmmaker who beat bad buzz. It seems hard to imagine now, but James Cameron’s Titanic was purported to be a colossal flop. It was over budget and over schedule. But Cameron had the last laugh when the movie was seen by everyone who could take in oxygen and made just over a kabillion dollars.
It’s been a decade since James Cameron’s last movie. He’s been out of the limelight for so long that there is a generation of young movie fans who think that McG directed Terminator. But those of us fanboys who are old enough to know better have been eagerly anticipating his next move.
In the aftermath of Titanic, Cameron wanted to make this movie he’d written called Avatar, but technology wasn’t good enough for him to be able to pull it off. At this point most filmmakers would move on to something else, but Cameron, in his interminably stubborn way, said ‘screw it’ and set about inventing the technology he needed to make his movie.
Three years ago, it was announced that Avatar was finally going into production. The project was shrouded in secrecy. The only thing that was known was that it was destined to be spectacular. We were told it was going to change movies forever.
That last statement is a dangerous one. It set the bar for Avatar impossibly high from the very beginning.
Last summer at Comic Con—the current birthplace of movie buzz—Cameron unveiled 10 minutes of footage from the movie. Fans waited for 4 hours to get a glimpse of the “future of movies” (which is a long time for anyone to spend in stuffy convention hall squeezed into a Stormtrooper costume). The immediate reaction to what they saw was…”meh”. The bad buzz began to build.
James Cameron is nothing if not a master showman and he’s always said that Avatar is meant to be seen in as large a format as possible in 3D. So a few months ago, 15 minutes of the film where screened for audiences in Imax theaters around the country. Reactions were again mixed.
At this point, it’s unclear if Avatar is going to revolutionize movies, like Star Wars, Terminator 2 or The Matrix, or go down in history as another overpriced, bloated flop alongside Waterworld and Ishtar.
I say let the fanboys throw barbs behind the shield of anonymity that is the internet. Let them debate if the aliens in the movie look as if a Thundercat mated with a Smurf. I don’t care. I’m in. Bad buzz or not, you had me at “a film by James Cameron.” I’m trying not to create expectations for the movie because the only way I will know where it belongs in the annals of cinematic and pop culture history is by planting myself in front of an Imax screen, strapping on a pair of 3D glasses and experiencing it for myself.
After 11 years of buildup, Avatar opens in theaters this weekend. My ticket is bought and I am anxiously waiting for my chance to see it.
To be continued…
Monday, December 14, 2009
The Horrible Dream
It was a truly awful dream.
I was in the kitchen of my parent’s house, the house of my youth. My in-laws were there and had just delivered some horrible news—WonderWife™ had just passed away in her sleep. I felt anguish. There were screams and cries. Pain and confusion. I thought of the kids, who were asleep upstairs. A random thought entered my mind—what of work the next day? Of course I wouldn’t be expected to go. But what of work the day after that?
“What am I going to do?” I asked my mother in law. “I’m all alone.” I realized that she was going through anguish of her own, but she was putting on a brave face for me.
“We’re here,” she said calmly.
“You’re here now,” I screamed through tears. “But you’ll leave soon.”
I called an old co-worker of mine, somebody with whom I used to be very close. I broke the news and cried. There was silence on the other end.
“I’m sorry to have dumped all of this on you,” I said to her.
I woke up with a poke in the shoulder from WonderWife™. “It’s five after 7,” she said. “The kids are awake. Time to get up.”
I pulled myself out of bed, thankful to be home with my wife by my side. I gave her a hug and told her she was never allowed to leave me.
Normally my dreams fade quickly, but this one stayed with me through my morning routine. It didn't take me long to realize that this was not a dream about WonderWife™, it was a stress dream. Sadly, I am no stranger to stress dreams. In them, something bad always happens—ranging from benign things such as missing a flight to tragedies like a loved one dying. WonderWife™ keeps asking me why I'm always killing her off in my dreams.
It's easy to spot this one as a stress dream because work crept into it—twice. I thought of work immediately after hearing the bad news and later, I called an old colleague for support.
The mind works in mysterious ways and why my stress manifests itself in my dreams is beyond me. Funny thing is that I don't currently feel a great deal of stress in my life. At least no more than usual. But I know that this won't be the last stress dream I have. They will appear sporadically in the middle of the night, haunt my mornings and linger throughout the day until I am through whatever stressful patch I am in.
I was in the kitchen of my parent’s house, the house of my youth. My in-laws were there and had just delivered some horrible news—WonderWife™ had just passed away in her sleep. I felt anguish. There were screams and cries. Pain and confusion. I thought of the kids, who were asleep upstairs. A random thought entered my mind—what of work the next day? Of course I wouldn’t be expected to go. But what of work the day after that?
“What am I going to do?” I asked my mother in law. “I’m all alone.” I realized that she was going through anguish of her own, but she was putting on a brave face for me.
“We’re here,” she said calmly.
“You’re here now,” I screamed through tears. “But you’ll leave soon.”
I called an old co-worker of mine, somebody with whom I used to be very close. I broke the news and cried. There was silence on the other end.
“I’m sorry to have dumped all of this on you,” I said to her.
I woke up with a poke in the shoulder from WonderWife™. “It’s five after 7,” she said. “The kids are awake. Time to get up.”
I pulled myself out of bed, thankful to be home with my wife by my side. I gave her a hug and told her she was never allowed to leave me.
_______________________
Normally my dreams fade quickly, but this one stayed with me through my morning routine. It didn't take me long to realize that this was not a dream about WonderWife™, it was a stress dream. Sadly, I am no stranger to stress dreams. In them, something bad always happens—ranging from benign things such as missing a flight to tragedies like a loved one dying. WonderWife™ keeps asking me why I'm always killing her off in my dreams.
It's easy to spot this one as a stress dream because work crept into it—twice. I thought of work immediately after hearing the bad news and later, I called an old colleague for support.
The mind works in mysterious ways and why my stress manifests itself in my dreams is beyond me. Funny thing is that I don't currently feel a great deal of stress in my life. At least no more than usual. But I know that this won't be the last stress dream I have. They will appear sporadically in the middle of the night, haunt my mornings and linger throughout the day until I am through whatever stressful patch I am in.
Friday, December 11, 2009
I Made It Out of Clay
The Bean had a whole mess of dreidels when I got home. Earlier that day WonderWife™ had opened the "Hanukkah box", which contained our menorah, the greatest Hanukkah book ever written, and a few dreidels. These were added to the two he got at pre-school bringing the grand total to...a whole mess of them.
I sat down next to the Bean and began to spin them all at once. When they stopped, he asked me to do it again.
"How about I teach you how to spin it yourself?" I asked him.
"Um...I think I'd just like you to do it," he replied.
I knew this behavior. The Bean doesn't like to try to do anything at which he thinks he might fail. This is something I am patiently trying to work on. Plus, I had a vision of a future that consisted of nothing else but me spinning dreidels for the kids for the next week. I told the Bean that I thought he should give it a try.
"I tried today at school and it didn't work," he told me.
"Well, that's because you were taught by an expert dreidel spinner like me," I said.
Interest piqued, he scooted closer to me and I showed him how to spin it. On his first try, it wobbled a bit, but moved in a somewhat circular motion that definitely counted as a spin. I cheered, which gave him enough encouragement to try it again. And again.
Happy Hanukkah everyone!
I sat down next to the Bean and began to spin them all at once. When they stopped, he asked me to do it again.
"How about I teach you how to spin it yourself?" I asked him.
"Um...I think I'd just like you to do it," he replied.
I knew this behavior. The Bean doesn't like to try to do anything at which he thinks he might fail. This is something I am patiently trying to work on. Plus, I had a vision of a future that consisted of nothing else but me spinning dreidels for the kids for the next week. I told the Bean that I thought he should give it a try.
"I tried today at school and it didn't work," he told me.
"Well, that's because you were taught by an expert dreidel spinner like me," I said.
Interest piqued, he scooted closer to me and I showed him how to spin it. On his first try, it wobbled a bit, but moved in a somewhat circular motion that definitely counted as a spin. I cheered, which gave him enough encouragement to try it again. And again.
Happy Hanukkah everyone!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Inventing a Bar
One of the questions posed when I posted my recent experiment was: What candy bar or snack food would you invent?
Well, I actually did invent a candy bar.
It was one of those evenings in college. You know the ones where you stumble home after hitting the bars, and sit around getting the munchies and talking about stupid stuff. My buddies and I started a conversation about candy. We named ingredient after ingredient until we happened upon the perfect combination. It was deemed the world's greatest candy bar.
While our enthusiasm for this mythical candy bar was high that night, it faded in the morning along with our buzz. We never followed up on the idea.
Years later, I would stumble upon this:
This was our candy bar.
Well, I actually did invent a candy bar.
It was one of those evenings in college. You know the ones where you stumble home after hitting the bars, and sit around getting the munchies and talking about stupid stuff. My buddies and I started a conversation about candy. We named ingredient after ingredient until we happened upon the perfect combination. It was deemed the world's greatest candy bar.
While our enthusiasm for this mythical candy bar was high that night, it faded in the morning along with our buzz. We never followed up on the idea.
Years later, I would stumble upon this:
This was our candy bar.
Monday, December 7, 2009
My Own Worst Frenemy
Frenemy: Someone who is both friend and enemy, a relationship that is both mutually beneficial or dependent while being competitive, fraught with risk and mistrust.
- The Urban Dictionary
Today at Hot Dads, a story about my frenemy. Here's a taste:
If this were a Hollywood movie, the story would go like this: One night after too many cocktails, the friends tumble into bed. After it being all awkward and stuff, they eventually decide that true happiness has been in front of them the entire time. However, my life is not some bubbly Kate Hudson movie. Things were a bit messier.
- The Urban Dictionary
Today at Hot Dads, a story about my frenemy. Here's a taste:
If this were a Hollywood movie, the story would go like this: One night after too many cocktails, the friends tumble into bed. After it being all awkward and stuff, they eventually decide that true happiness has been in front of them the entire time. However, my life is not some bubbly Kate Hudson movie. Things were a bit messier.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The Stakeout
The man sat in front of our house in a non-descript American made car, slung low and peering out of the windshield over a newspaper at a house down the street. He definitely looked like he was on a stakeout. Though my knowledge of what a stakeout looked like was based solely on every cop show and movie I’ve seen.
I pointed the guy out to WonderWife™ with a “psst” and a nod in his direction. “What do ya think that guy’s doing just sitting there?”
WonderWife™ thought this was curious indeed. People come and go all of the time to my next door neighbor’s house, but never had any of them parked on the street and hunkered down as if they were going to be there for a while. So we kept an eye on him.
A little later, we noticed that the man had moved the car across the street as we returned from the grocery store. He was still sitting there reading the same newspaper, same stakeout stance.
“I’m going to find out what he’s doing here,” said WW™ as she started across the street.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. “What if he’s really a cop on a stakeout or something like that? Don't get involved.” I said this with the knowledge that WonderWife™ can sometimes be a little brash in her confrontations. Like the time she angrily told a woman who had rung our bell one evening to pretty much fuck off, only to later realize the woman was innocently trying to let us know about a crime that had been committed a few streets away.
“I don’t want some weird guy to be hanging around here. Our children are playing outside!” I could not argue against this statement. And with that she strode across the street to his car.
I finished unloading the car and went inside with the kids. A few minutes later, WW™ returned looking a bit ashen.
“So?” I said.
“You know that guy that lives down the street that I don’t like?”
“Yeah,” I said conjuring up the image of our horrible neighbor who likes to insult you and pretend that he was only making a joke.
“It’s him,” she said and she sat down.
It turns out that the guy, our neighbor, suspected his wife of having an affair. The guy spun a series of lies to convince his wife that he was away, so he could try to catch her with her lover. It truly was a stakeout. I guess he'd seen the same movies I have. And WonderWife™, having confronted him was treated to the entire, uncomfortable tale as if watching an episode of Melrose Place that she couldn't turn off.
I pointed the guy out to WonderWife™ with a “psst” and a nod in his direction. “What do ya think that guy’s doing just sitting there?”
WonderWife™ thought this was curious indeed. People come and go all of the time to my next door neighbor’s house, but never had any of them parked on the street and hunkered down as if they were going to be there for a while. So we kept an eye on him.
A little later, we noticed that the man had moved the car across the street as we returned from the grocery store. He was still sitting there reading the same newspaper, same stakeout stance.
“I’m going to find out what he’s doing here,” said WW™ as she started across the street.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. “What if he’s really a cop on a stakeout or something like that? Don't get involved.” I said this with the knowledge that WonderWife™ can sometimes be a little brash in her confrontations. Like the time she angrily told a woman who had rung our bell one evening to pretty much fuck off, only to later realize the woman was innocently trying to let us know about a crime that had been committed a few streets away.
“I don’t want some weird guy to be hanging around here. Our children are playing outside!” I could not argue against this statement. And with that she strode across the street to his car.
I finished unloading the car and went inside with the kids. A few minutes later, WW™ returned looking a bit ashen.
“So?” I said.
“You know that guy that lives down the street that I don’t like?”
“Yeah,” I said conjuring up the image of our horrible neighbor who likes to insult you and pretend that he was only making a joke.
“It’s him,” she said and she sat down.
It turns out that the guy, our neighbor, suspected his wife of having an affair. The guy spun a series of lies to convince his wife that he was away, so he could try to catch her with her lover. It truly was a stakeout. I guess he'd seen the same movies I have. And WonderWife™, having confronted him was treated to the entire, uncomfortable tale as if watching an episode of Melrose Place that she couldn't turn off.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Be Very Afraid
Here is a list of things the Bean is not afraid of:
Tai Lung from Kung Fu Panda
Things Under the Bed
Things in the Closet
The Dark
The Garbage Truck
Pirates of the Caribbean ride
The Haunted Mansion ride
Skeletons
Monsters Inc.
Tai Lung from Kung Fu Panda
Things Under the Bed
Things in the Closet
The Dark
The Garbage Truck
Pirates of the Caribbean ride
The Haunted Mansion ride
Skeletons
Monsters Inc.
The one thing that seems to have really spooked him:
Swiper from Dora the Explorer
I don't know why.
Swiper from Dora the Explorer
I don't know why.
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