Monday, September 29, 2008

Sum of the day


Dear friend,
Just going to list a few of the days happenings. Perhaps I shall add a few comments or opinions, perhaps not. Let's see, shall we.

Woke up, fell asleep, woke up. Lather rinse repeat until about 8.

Got ready to go to the state fair.

Walked around fair with parents.

Ate fair food, including fried oreos, which were surprisingly good yet had a strange feeling of settling in a lump in my stomach. Probably won't have them again.

Walked around fair some more. Saw a team of Clydesdale and a wagon, pretty cool.

Avoided the urge to go off on some "Carney" who was whistling to get peoples' attention since it made me think we were all being reduced to the level of common canines. Yeah, I took that too seriously, but I did resist the urge.

Came home.

Cleaned my room.

Watched Chuck. Yay, still love it. Like Casey a little more. Am slightly sad that the Weinerlicious is gone.

Tried to watch Heroes, but left about 45 minutes in. Why is Hiro such a blithering idiot? I used to like him, he was just about the only thing keeping me watching, now I'm done. Hiro was the last straw.

Watched Life. I was really into this episode, then at the last commercial break all sound goes away. All of it, but then the background noises come back, but no dialogue. If Dad didn't know how to get closed-captioning, I'd have been miffed. More than miffed, actually, since I am currently miffed.

Came upstairs, went to Facebook to be generally disappointed, yet again. I apparently can't connect with people. Where do I sign up to be a hermit? Can hermits own cats? Can I be a cat lady/ hermit? That would be cool with me. Or not.

Do I sound bitter? I shouldn't, it wasn't a bad day. Now I'm watching Due South and summing up the day here, in a vaguely passive aggressive way.

I'd better stop.

God bless and keep you.

Monday, September 22, 2008

I threw my hands victoriously in the air at this result!

Your result for The Classic Dames Test...

Rosalind Russell

You scored 21% grit, 52% wit, 24% flair, and 10% class!


You are one wise-cracking lady, always quick with a clever remark and easily able to keep up with the quips and puns that come along with the nutty situations you find yourself in. You're usually able to talk your way out of any jam, and even if you can't, you at least make it more interesting with your biting wit. You can match the smartest guy around line for line, and you've got an open mind that allows you to get what you want, even if you don't recognize it at first. Your leading men include Cary Grant and Clark Gable, men who can keep up with you.


Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.

Take The Classic Dames Test at HelloQuizzy

Saturday, September 20, 2008

High fructose corn syrup adverts! Really?


Dear friend,
Strangest of things, I have nothing in particular to write about. I'm merely trying to stay awake until a show comes on, this late Friday night.
I finished watching the DVDs of the television show "Life" earlier tonight. I missed the entire first season because I was trying to sleep when it came on. I still find it strange that the prime time segment of television is one hour later on the eastern half of the country than it is in the western half. Who really stays up to watch the 11 o'clock news? Anyway, I enjoyed Life, but I don't think I could get engrossed in it like my other shows. I was certainly captivated by the story, but I don't think it's the sort of show I could watch over and over again.
OK, I just had the weirdest thought. It's natural to type as I think. I remember in school, when I had to learn how to type I thought I'd never be able to do it. What really made it natural for me was to go into chat rooms, usually talking about cartoons, and being the verbose and loquacious nerd that I am I had to learn how to type quickly to keep up with the other not so wordy participants. Now I can, and actually am doing so now, watch television and follow the dialogue and plot while I write out my thoughts. Though my tiyping still isn't perfect, it's an extreme difference from what was.
As you can tell, change intrigues me. Yet I can't take it calmly when it happens too quickly. Slow change, so subtle that you don't notice it, is pretty awesome to me.
I should probably stop writing, before I stop making any sense whatsoever.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

If you like Batman, and don't hate animation, I've got a film for ya!



Dear Friend,
I just finished watching, for the second time in a day, "Batman: Gotham Knight" which is a set of short, animated films set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Now, I didn't like The Dark Knight, but that has proven to be "above" my like or dislike. I felt it was too dark, and should have been rated R. (I consider TDK to be my first R rated movie, now, so there you go)
Gotham Knight, now is also rated PG-13, and I felt it came by it honestly (even if there is one shot of a guy being shot clean through the head, a very clear shot at that) and it was bloody. Not a lot of cussing, though I did get to hear Rob Paulsen say "Son of a *****"; quite a strange experience. (I almost felt like Mr. Opportunity was cussing at me. Ok, just kidding) But, quite seriously, though animated, this isn't meant for the kiddoes, ok?
Anyway, beyond content issues, There are 6 different shorts, written and directed by different people, and animated by different Japanese studios. It's anime inspired, so don't expect lip-sync. Do, however, expect interesting visuals, which change each story. Only the voice actors remain the same through the entire film. The shorts are loosely connected, but each could stand alone if it needed to.

The First, "Have I Got a Story for You" is much like the BTAS episode "Legends of the Dark Knight" and frankly I think the TV show one was better. I admit I was put off my the animation style. While the backgrounds were stunning, the people were grotesque and ugly. It did serve the story well, with the differing interpretations of three kids descriptions of their encounters with Batman earlier that day. It was a solid start.

Next, "Crossfire" was animated in a dark, shadowed, comic-book style. It showed two cops in the Major Crimes Unit, discussing Batman as they take a prisoner over the "Narrows" and then end up in a gang crossfire. The story was good. It was maybe my third favorite. Lots of gunfire, as well.

Then "Field Test", which despite a rather confusing story that caused me to wonder what was going on exactly, wound up being one of my favorite shorts on the disc. It was very "anime" style, and I liked the design of the batsuit. They even managed to make Bruce Wayne a decided "pretty boy" that you'd never expect to be Batman. (see icon stamp on this entry)

"In Darkness Dwells" was OK, to me. The sewer setting lent itself to a gritty, unattractive drawing style. There was a brief fight with Killer Croc, so brief you wonder if it was needed. It also had Scarecrow, yet it didn't seem to be like the same character from the live-action films. It was one of the more disappointing shorts in my opinion.

"Working Through the Pain" was my second favorite story here. I again like the style of drawing, and the backgrounds were beautiful. It was slightly bloody for my taste, and I had to look away a few times. My dad was disappointed by the end of the short, but I liked it's emotional nature. I do admit, it doesn't feel like much of a climax, though.

"Deadshot" ranked high in my opinion, too. It's style was interesting, and though it was violent I couldn't look away. The shot of the Ferris Wheel was gorgeous. I found the plot obvious, but maybe not everyone would.

I enjoyed this DVD, and would recommend it to Batman and animation fans alike. I liked hearing Kevin Conroy as Batman again. Watch it if you can.