StrangeCulture Blog

The Unachiveable Myth of The Super-Mom

2013-05-12T13:59:00.003-06:00

One of the things my wife does a good job doing is telling other mom's that they're doing a good job.

We live in the land of toddlers, and so a lot of our mom exposure comes from toddler-mom-land as well.

It seems that we encounter a lot of stressed moms...whether they're stay at home moms, working moms, young moms or old moms, most moms seem to carry a burden that they're not doing enough, failing, or not rising to the occasion.

Yet, when it comes to a day like Mother's Day there is an overwhelming sense that most moms are doing something right...a sentiment that it's always shared with Father's Day.

The bar for mom's is set quite high - it's set there by a number of people, but primarily my mom's themselves.

I can come home from work and ask my wife about the day with the kids and she will often share a sentiment that the day lacked something. She might express that she felt like she lost in the world of discipline, or that there wasn't enough high quality encounters with each of our three children, or that something else wasn't quite right.

I usually listen and reassure her. Yet, when my wife is gone and I'm with the kids, I generally feel like the time was a great success. It's not that the day is actually better (it's probably far less productive, coordinated, and organized) but my attitude is different as a father. I reward myself for being there, and don't put the day through two dozen different subjective quality metrics to evaluate the day.

Comparatively, I can look at other dad's and pat myself on the back and reward myself simply for my presence. "I was there, and the kids were lucky for that," I tell myself.

Yet the bar for a woman does not seem to be set so low. Not on account of where other's have placed it, but where the mom has placed it.

The greatest mom's seem to give themselves a "C" score...barely passing, could do better.

Yet, the reality is, they're performing (generally) at an amazingly high level. Mom's make it happen, and do the very best they can, all the time, so unselfishly. My mom certainly did/does that, and my wife does as well. Yet, they are their own worst critic.

There is a myth of a super-mom that seems to pull the best of all moms into a bionic woman who does not exist, yet every (most) mom's are attempting to be.

This might be part of what make's mom's so great...but I hope mom's take time to hear the words "You're doing a great job" and believe it.

Hospitality, Regional Stereotypes, and the Little Blue Truck

2013-04-27T20:22:00.001-06:00

When I went to Texas to college, I was pretty off put by the regional stereotype of Southern hospitality. There were times when I would experience this stereotypical hospitality and unless it was through a "logical connection" (say the mother of a fellow student), I would tend to write it off as fake. A person who didn't know you greeting you with big grins, a firm handshake, or a bubbly twangy voice was too much for me. I justified this outward hospitality as a regional stereotype that was as much about putting on a front as a pair of overpriced dress shoes might impress someone in a New York city board room.

I think (hope) overtime, my negativity to hospitality wore off in someways over my years in college and the following years when I still lived in Texas. I came to see that many (most) people were genuine and their friendliness wasn't simply a regional cover-up for the blemished past of Southern culture, or any other sociological or cynical interpretation. In the way values pass from generation to generation I've come to value many parts of that culture.

Tonight I read my kids the cute and fun story Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry. The story is a simple story (spoiler warning...just kidding), about a Little Blue Truck who is friendly to others and big Dump Truck that is too big, fat and busy for others. When the dump truck get's stuck in the mud, not only does the Little Blue Truck help out, but the farm animal friends who he's been friendly with over time.

The Dramatic Enterance of the Dump Truck in the Children's Story Little Blue Truck

In a more critical time of my life, I might have criticized a stereotype, suggesting the busy dump truck might have a soul, and his presentation as a focused contributor misrepresents the fast paced culture of other areas of the country. I couldn't say such a thing with a sincere face today.

Instead, while reading it to my children, who do not live in the South, I thought about how I would want my children to embody the hospitality associated with the Southern stereotype. I would love for my own children to have a natural hospitality that not only is natural, but also in genuine. They won't have the twang, but they can have the heart.

"Welcome Y'All Image" from Flickr: Unquenchable Fire shared under Creative Commons.

Scheduling A Stop To Smell The Roses

2013-04-22T22:28:00.002-06:00

I don't know about you, but one of the things that I find to be hard to do is "stop and smell the roses." To me it becomes almost a Catch 22 type of thing, because to slow down means planning to slow down which means more doing.

This relates to me specifically it seems at my life stage (but feel free to tell me it's more than just that), but at this stage in my life, as a father of three kids under the age of five life goes fast. Between getting the kids fed before work to a frantic rush home to get home take care of the kids while my wife and I slapped hands to say "tag" before I headed off to a meeting, life just seems fast.

I find myself saying "slow down" and "cherish these moment." And even in those quick hand-offs and rushes I look at my kids, my wife, and many other aspects of my life with joy and I say "slow down, brother, appreciate these things."

And it's odd that in the effort to say "slow down" I am practicably saying to myself "seize the day" which is something quite different. The act of slowing down and enjoying these things, like my family, creates the urge to do things...I say "slow down enjoy your kids, maybe you should schedule a vacation to do so," or even in a less time/financial draining way I say "what about a fun picnic trip to the park."

And I like these ideas, vacations, picnics, outdoor adventures, indoor forts, and the works, but some of these desires spring out of slowing down, and they are anything but slowing down.

I think I feel this way when I read about phone apps that are supposed to simply my life (oh look, a new great list maker, or a way to socially engage with other like minded rose smellers, it even captures my GPS coordinates of where I smelled the roses and plots them on an interactive map).

Or, I feel this way when I talk to my wife or friends, because we're all seeing different ways to cherish the moments in ways the eat up the calendar.

Don't get me wrong, I don't just want to sit on the living room floor and have a starring contest with a two-year old in a zen-emphasis of slowing down.

I don't think the answer to stopping and smelling the roses is more pictures - we take more than we could ever reflect on.

And you can hardly schedule a stop to smell the roses.

But I wonder if what I really want when I say I want to slow down, enjoy each moment, cherish the memories and "stop and smell the roses," is that I really just want to make sure that I am present. A sense that "where I am, is where I am." And that if I'm with a friend, my wife, or one of my children that I'm one hundred percent there with them - in all my senses...and maybe not so much my nose, but my eyes and my ears particularly. If I tune my eyes to see the people I'm with, and my ears to hear what they are saying, I'm pretty confident that my mind will follow and tune out the other distractions that keep us from truly stopping and being where we are.

Images: Dog Nose From Giant Freakin Robot post here; Rose Picture from Wallshq found here.

Boston Bombing - What Is This?

2013-04-17T20:01:00.001-06:00

Front page headline of Times-Picayune
(New Orleans, Louisiana daily)

One of the things that I find most challenging about the Boston Bombing is that without much real information outside of the actual tragedy.

The event truly is a tragedy. Between injuries, fatalities, public disturbance, and all sorts of reasonable causes for unrest there's no argument the event is sad.

The Boston Marathon in itself is such a meaningful event for many, not to mention the actual participants, and as a sight for a violent act it is simply shocking.

Yet past shock, I was a little surprised...not entirely surprised, but a little, to see some TV stations today on with continuous coverage, the words "breaking news" at the bottom of the screen, and yet at the same time, no news at all.

Eating my lunch at work there was a television on in the break room the breaking news banner at the bottom of the screen, and my eyes peeled to see what was breaking. But it was no real news, it was new video footage and information about suspects and witnesses being picked out from a crowded video.

Newspapers all across the country fill their cover page with updates, that aren't really updates at all, and it seems like what they should do, this is the way we cover uncertain tragedy.

Is it foreign terrorism? Certainly if this is an act of foreign terror, the scope of the story is big - there is a feeling that we should feel the echo of previous acts of terror. Clearly the scope is not that of the 9/11 attacks, but I've heard people over the past couple days recall the days after the 9/11 attacks and the impact of the day. Yet it's uncertain if this event even falls into those categories.

Is it domestic terrorism? If it's domestic terrorism, then what's it about. With a highly partisan nation there's a fear that this could be a statement. Is this an outcry against taxes? Gun legislation? Right-wing extremist? Left-wing agitators? Most theories here seem a little ridiculous, because an act of idealism is so far from irrational, and there hasn't been any attempt to clearly connect the events to a cause. The homegrown extremist angle of course creates a whole different conversation and creates different meaning to the event.

Is it a psychotic maniac? American tragedy of this nature often is connected to these unreal characters who perform an act of true insanity on the country's center stage. These James Holmes, Ted Kaczynski, or school house mass shooter, car bombers, and other individual crazies fill the news in new ways every year, and if this is one of those situations, again the conversation changes. If so, this general attack of leisure and the inability to be protected in public certainly will create a flair of fear and further discussion on weapons, concealed weapons, and mental issues.

When the conversation changes, the way we feel about the event changes, and there is a lot of room for details. Those details will not only color the way we feel about the event, but also color the way the news and story progresses going forward.

But in the meantime, I permit the news coverage to die down and let the investigations take place. There is no need for the news to create news at this point, or figure out what to call the event...an act of terror, a tragedy, an attack? There's so many potential conversations, but any of them are really premature at this point. The lens through which this event is viewed still isn't there, so when confronted with the news coverage I think it's hard to know how to watch the news.

Soccer Snacks

2013-04-14T13:58:00.001-06:00

My daughter (4 years old) just did a little mini season of Pee Wee Soccer season. It was only four weeks, but something I found interesting is the whole world of post-game snacks.

The group she played with was pretty relaxed, but as I've talked to other parents of toddlers, this seems like a new stressful frontier.

When I did kids sports, I kind of have this memory of getting orange slices and a Hi-C after the game.

In the world of food rules, I honestly would have been fine if they let everyone just be on the own to give there kid a drink and something to eat after the game.

But, somehow the classic orange slices and Hi-C doesn't seem to fly (the orange slices because they're not pre-packaged and potentially not organic, the Hi-C because it's owned by Minute Maid which is owned by Coca-Cola which means parents think it's bad for kids and probably has high-fructose corn syrup in it, even if it doesn't).

So, what's a parent to do?

Becuase snacks didn't come with specific food rules, the snacks and drinks varied significantly. And yes, on her team of 10, one kid was gluten free.

Here's the snacks/drinks she had after her four games.

Week 1: Horizon Organic Milk with Pre-Packaged Apples and Caramel dip
Week 2: Capri Sun with pre-packaged individual Goldfish Crackers
Week 3: Capri Sun with Lays Potato Chips and Sweedish Fish Candy
Week 4: Capri Sun with a Fruit Roll and Fruity Pebbles Treats Marshmallow Treats

Four weeks down, four very different snacks and every one's still alive, and no complaints on our side since we don't have too many food rules (especially when it comes to a one time snack). But it's still interesting and a little stressful as a parent wanting something easy, kids will like, and they're parents will appreciate.

Mr. Selfridge and Today: Items Behind The Counter

2013-04-09T21:25:00.001-06:00

The Ladies Behind The Accessory Counter at Selfridge & Co.

In episode 2 of Mr. Selfridge, the main plot point is the tough decision about relocating make-up, face cream and perfume to the front of the department store. One of the decisions is not to put lipstick on display since it has a reputation of being used by "ladies of the night."

Obviously, the times have changed...perhaps in part due to Mr. Harry Gordon Selfridge himself. But it's interesting how much the times have changed.

The other night my wife and I were discussing this, and next thing we know it's a Cialis advertisement on TV. They talk not just about erectile dysfunction but being ready when the mood strikes, erections that last more than 4 hours, and not impacting when "you've gotta go." It's a mix of casual common terms and phrases, next to medical terminology.

I'm not against old people having sex, much in the same way that people in 1909 didn't appear to have qualms against lip stick. But the lip stick was a behind the counter product, something you wouldn't display on the counter or in a store shop window. It seems to me, that these days, there's not many "behind the counter" products on any more. And maybe it's me, but I wish some things, like Cialis (or legal services for medical settlements or personal injury, stool softeners, or feminine products) would go back behind the counter. I'm not against them, I just don't need to see them advertised front and center.

Quick Thoughts on the first episode of Mr. Selfridge

2013-04-06T20:13:00.001-06:00

This past week my wife and I watched the first episode of ITV Studio's Mr. Selfridge.

I look forward to watching the second episode tomorrow night on PBS. Here are some first thoughts.

Unless you're a Masterpiece Classics regular, I think it'd be hard to watch it without comparing/contrasting it to Downton Abbey.
This is not a child of Downton Abbey, it sees to be it's own type of show, and if anything reminds me more in terms of content of AMC's Mad Men (period business/marketing film, strongly creative potentially personality) as opposed to Downton Abbey which seems to be similar only in that it's period British film that airs on PBS.
The title character, Jeremy Piven as Mr. Harry Selfridge was certainly interesting, but I wonder if his strong personality will be interesting through multiple episodes or becoming tiring
Truth is usually more interesting than fiction, but since Harry Gordon Selfridge is a historical person, I wonder if this series will meet a challenge (especially in terms of creating a multi-season show) with the limitation of being based on a true story?
Since the show has already aired earlier this year in England, it would be tempting to cheat and see how things play out, but I'm going to watch this with fresh unspoiled eyes.
The first episode introduced so many characters, I'm curious who's going to be the true supporting players, and really stand out. In episode 1 the standouts seemed to clearly be the supporting females, primarily Aisling Loftus as Agnes Towler (obviously some of the most striking scenes - the gloves, the house visit, the rose suggestion), and Katherine Kelly as Lady Mae Loxley (her dialogue always seemed well scripted to counter-balance Pivens strong over-the-top dialogue)
There's so many great stories to tell, and I think a modern period serial of this type is an incredible way to tell the story of not just a life, but of a time. I'd love to see more projects like this hit prime time.
Between the story, the presentation of the story (including fantastic production value) I hope this show is an enjoyable show to watch the remainder of the season.

Future Fourquels

2013-04-04T20:53:00.000-06:00

In 2011, after identifying that the 2011 movie calendar had five films with fourth installments (I call those fourquels - although I understand that they're really called Tetralogy), I took the time to figure out what movies had been trilogies to help identify potential future fourquels.

Since today is April 4th (04-04), I thought...why not revisit this list, although 2013 is remarkably unfourquelesque - just one that I know of, and it comes out tomorrow.

Upcoming Fourquels On the Calendar:

April 5, 2013: Evil Dead (83, 87, 93, 13)
February 7, 2014: Robocop (87, 90, 93, 14)
June 13, 2014: Jurassic Park 4 (93, 97, 01, 14)
June 27, 2014: Transformers 4 (07, 09, 11, 14)

March 27, 2015: The Penguins of Madagascar (Madagascar: 05, 08, 12, 15)

Future Fourquels? Probably Not - But It Could Happen:

• Alex Cross 4 ('97, 01, 12)
• Ape Woman 4 (1943, 44, 45)
• Austin Powers 4 (97, 99, 02)
• Back to the Future 4 (85, 89, 90)
• The Bad News Bears 4 (76, 77, 78)
• Barbershop 4 (02, 04, 05)
• Beverly Hills Cop 4 (84, 87, 94)
• Big Momma's House 4 (00, 05, 11)
• The Black Stallion (79, 83, 03)
• Blade 4 (98, 02, 04)
• La Cage Aux Follies 4 (78, 80, 85)
• Cannonball Run 4 (81, 84, 89)
• Captain Nemo 4 (54, 61, 69)
• The Chronicles of Narnia 4 (05, 08, 10)
• Creature from the Black Lagoon 4 (54, 55, 56)
• Crocodile Dundy 4 (86, 88, 01)
• Dairy of a Wimpy Kid 4 (10, 11, 12)
• Escape to Witch Mountain 4 (75, 78, 09)
• Evil Dead 4 (83, 87, 93)
• Flash Gordon 4 (36, 38, 40)
• The Fly 4 (58, 59, 65)
• Friday 4 (95, 00, 02)
• From Dusk Till Dawn 4 (96, 99, 00)
• Goal! 4 (05, 07, 09)
• The Godfather 4 (72, 74, 90)
• The Grudge 4 (04, 06, 08)
• Harold and Kumar 4 (04, 08, 11)
• Home Alone 4 (90, 92, 97)
• Infernal Affairs 4 (02, 03, 03)
• It's Alive 4 (74, 78, 87)
• Jeepers Creepers 4 (01, 03, 11)
• Jurassic Park 4 (93, 97, 01)
• Look Who's Talking 4 (89, 90, 93)
• Mad Max 4 (79, 81, 85)
• Major League 4 (89, 94, 98)
• Matrix 4 (99, 03, 03)
• Meet the Parents 4 (00, 04, 10)
• Men in Black 4 (97, 02, 12)
• Mighty Ducks 4 (D4?) (92, 94, 96)
• Mr. Belvedere 4 (48, 49, 51)
• The Mummy 4 (99, 01, 08)
• The Naked Gun 4 (88, 91, 94)
• The Never Ending Story 4 (84, 90, 94)
• Oceans Eleven 4 (01, 04, 07)
• Poltergiest 4 (82, 86, 88)
• Porky's 4 (82, 83, 85)
• Predator 4 (87, 90, 10)
• Rugrats 4 (98, 00, 03)
• Rush Hour 4 (98, 01, 07)
• The Santa Clause 4 (94, 02, 06)
• Smokey and the Bandit 4 (77, 80, 83)
• Super Fly (72, 73, 90)
• Toy Story 4 (95, 99, 10)
• Transformers 4 (07, 09, 11)
• Underworld 4 (03, 06, 09)

Luxury Everything - Kind of Makes Me Sick

2013-03-29T22:49:00.003-06:00

Have you seen this new commercial for the Acura RXL?

As soon as I saw it, I couldn't help but instantly find myself a little sickened.

Luxury Bed.
Luxury Sheets.
Luxury Shower.
Luxury Towel.
Luxury Suit.
Luxury Watch.
Luxury Coffee.
Luxury Coffeemaker.
Luxury Sugar.
Luxury House.
Luxury Car.

It's only 11 luxury items mentioned and for me it's over the top.

Maybe it's conviction because there's time when I like spending a little more for certain items. Who doesn't like a little luxury? I do. Whether it's a low end item like food or high end item like a house. Even if I don't have certain luxury's I can appreciate the quality and style of these items.

But this commercial is trying to say that the Acura RXL makes our other luxury item seem normal, which seems like a great campaign. But I'm left with the question of "Does everything need to be luxury?"

In fact, it makes me kind of sickened how everything (light fixtures, pastries, socks, vacations) can be marketed with luxury appeal...and we buy it.

Yet seeing it 10 seconds of luxury in this Accura commercial makes me want to drink Folgers Coffee out of a Mr. Coffee coffee pot in a matted bath robe from Walmart.

(Except I don't have Folger's Coffee, a Mr. Coffee brand coffee pot, or a bath robe - bummer!)

Reel People: Chadwick Boseman is Jackie Robinson

2013-03-25T22:01:00.005-06:00

The film is 42. The sports biopic is directed and scripted by Oscar winner Brian Helgeland (Helgeland won the Oscar for his adapted screenplay L.A. Confidential, and was later nominated for his adapted screenplay for Mystic River).

Jackie Robinson

Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 to sharecroppers in Cairo, Georgia. His middle name was given to him in honor of the late President Theodore Roosevelt who had died earlier in the month.

Jackie was the youngest of five children, and their father abandoned the family in 1920. His mother moved their family to Pasadena, California where the family lived at 121 Pepper Street.

Encouraged to play sports by his older athletic siblings (including his brother Mack Robinson who won the Silver metal at the 1936 Olympics in the 200 meter sprint), Jackie would play sports at the varsity level including baseball, football, tennis, track and field, and basketball. From John Muir High School, he would continue to play these sports at Pasadena Junior College.

While at Pasadena Junior College, major events included being arrested for vocally defending and disputing a fellow black classmate detention, as well as fracturing his ankle. He also grew and increasing reputation for being a great athlete and an involved student.

When he graduated from Pasadena Junior College in 1939 he transferred to UCLA. Continuing his success in four sports (Baseball, Football, Track, and Basketball), he became the first student at UCLA to receive varsity letters in four different sports. Many would say that Baseball was Robinson's worst sport of the four.

As a senior he would meet his wife, then a freshman, Rachel Isum, although they wouldn't marry until years later.

In the spring of 1941, shy of graduation, Jackie would drop out of UCLA and took a job with the government as assistant athletic director to the National Youth Administration (NYA), an agency created during the new deal that had started in 1935. The agency would fall apart, during WWII, and Robinson's time with the NYA was short. He left California in the fall of 1941 to Honolulu to play football for the racial integrated semi-professional team Honolulu Bears.

On the date of the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, Robinson had just been in Hawaii for an exhibition game but was sailing back to California on the SS Lurline. He would cease his career with the Honolulu Bears and begin playing football for the Los Angeles Bulldogs, part of the Pacific Coast Football League. The Los Angeles Bulldogs season ended early though as the United States entered WWII.

In 1942 Jackie Robinson was drafted to Army Calvary unit and was stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas were he became friends with heavy weight boxing champion Joe Lewis. After some protest, Robinson and Lewis were allowed into the Officer Candidate School, were Robinson would be commissioned as Second Lieutenant in January 1943. Robinson would be then reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas where he joined the 761st "Black Panther" Tank Battalion.

Robinson's tank battalion was the first all-blank tank unit to see combat, but Robinson did not go to the battle front because while awaiting test from his junior college ankle injury he ran into an ordeal with a bus driver ordering him to the back of the bus, this was escalated to include a court marshal that caused him to be transferred to another unit and delayed his service due to awaiting court proceedings. He was acquitted in August of 1944, transferred to Camp Breckinridge Kentucky coaching Army athletics until he was discharged in November of 1944.

Upon discharge he had a short stint as athletic director at Sam Houston College in Austin Texas, where he coached the school's basketball team.

The in 1945, Robinson was offered a contract to play for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Baseball league. Disatisfied with the disorganization of the Negro Leagues, Robinson was interested in professional baseball and tried out for the Boston Red Sox, a team which ended up being disinterested in racial integration.

Instead, he ended up developing a relationship with Branch Rickey, general manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey was interested in integration, and Robinson, but also wanted to ensure that Robinson would not fight back against antagonistic racial comments if signed. Rickey signed Robinson to their farm team, the Montreal Royals. This was publicly announced on October 23, 1945.

On February 10, 1946, that Robinson and Rachel Isum, whom he had met at UCLA were married.

In spring training in Daytona Beach, Florida, Robinson didn't stay at the team hotel, instead stayed with a local black politician. Johnny Wright, another black player Branch had drafted, played AAA baseball for the Montreal Royals in 1946 as well, and local authorities were resistant to allowing games be held if Robinson or Wright were going to participate. On March 17, 1946 Robinson played in an exhibition game against the Brookyln Dodgers, becoming the first black minor league player to play against a major league team.

It was in 1946 that Robinson would have his first over three children, Jackie Robinson Jr. (His other two children Sharon Robinson and David Robinson would be born in 1950 and 1952).

In 1947, six days before the start of the season, Robinson would be called up to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers where he played his first game as a first baseman at Ebbet's field on April 15, 1947. Robinson's presence on team had mixed reviews from other players on his own team, as well as others. He also received mixed reviews from fans, who were flocking to the games regardless of their opinion. Most notably, the St. Louis Cardinals threatened to strike if Robinson played. But National League President Ford Frick and Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler advised the Cardinals that striking players would be suspended.

In 1947, Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award.

Later seasons saw a decrease in racial prejudice as other black players joined the league on the Dodgers and other teams in the National and American Leagues (Larry Doby broke the color barrier the same year as Robinson later in the season for the Cleveland Indians).

1949 was a great season for Robinson with a significantly improved batting average, he would take home the MPV for the National League, as well as be the starting second baseman for the All-Star game.

In 1950 Jackie Robinson stared in a film adaptation of his life in The Jackie Robinson Story. Ruby Dee played his wife Rachel "Rae" Robinson. This didn't sit well with Dodger's co-owner Walter O'Malley who was not interested in this type of exploit. Around this same time Branch Rickey would leave the Brooklyn Dodgers and go to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Robinson continued to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, were he did experience racial prejudice, but also spoke out against prejudice's in sports and other areas of American life, such as hotels.

In 1955, the Brooklyn Dodgers won the world series against the New York Yankees, although this was not his best season.

At the end of the 1956 season Robinson was traded to the New York Giants, but before the trade was finalized he had retired from baseball accepting the postion as vice president and director of personnel at the New York coffee company Chock full o' Nutts. His retirement story was revealed through Look magazine.

Robinson in taking the job at Chock full o' Nutts would become the first black person to have the role of Vice President for a major American corporation.

Following his career he was diagnosed with diabetes.

In 1962, Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the first year on the ballot. He was the first black baseball player given the honor.

In 1965 he served as analyst for ABC's Major League Baseball Game of the Week telecast, as well as other later television telecast of this nature.

The Brooklyn Dodgers would retire Robinson's uniform number "42" on June 4, 1972.

He continued to be active in politics and social organizations like the NAACP, encouraging integration and opportunity for African-Americans.

On October 24, 1972 Jackie Robinson would die of a heart-attack in Stamford, Connecticut at the age of 53.

42

The film 42 tells the story of Jackie Robinson, particularly his early days of baseball and signing with Branch Rickey to break the baseball color line.

In addition to Chadwick Boseman playing the part of Jackie Robinson, the film also features Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. Nicole Behaire plays the part of Robinson's wife, Rachel. John C. McGinnley plays sports broadcaster Red Barber.

Baseball players portrayed in the film include Leo Durocher (Christopher Meloni), Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black), Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk). Baseball player C.J. Nitkowski plays pitcher Dutch Leonard.

A relative unknown performer, will Chadwick Boseman receive award attention, maybe an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of this Reel (Real) Person?

Fun with words: Tricolons

2013-03-22T14:00:00.000-06:00

Earlier this year I remember reading in the Guardian someone use the word tricolon referring to the rhetoric of Jodi Foster's Golden Globe speech.

The tricolon shows up in the emphasized portion of the sentence here: "If you had been a public figure from the time that you were a toddler, if you'd had to fight for a life that felt real and honest and normal against all odds, then maybe you too might value privacy above all else."

In the same ways jokes and fairy tales seem better with characters (a priest, a rabbi and duck walk into a bar, or the three little pigs), somehow a sentence with three strong thoughts seem to stick out in a way that two simply cannot.

Julius Ceaser understood this, and in the year 47 BC he said "Veni, vidi, vici" which means "I came, I saw, I conquered." This tricolon is still repeated today.

Whether it's The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, or the three most important things to keep in mind when buying a house (Location, Location, Location), there's something powerful about the tricolon.

Two will do, three is better, and four is simply to crowded.

It can be famous film lines ("Lions and Tigers and bears, oh my"), or car slogans, like when Chevy said "Eye it, try it, buy it."

Fun With Words: Controyms (or auto-antonyms)

2013-03-21T20:42:00.001-06:00

Some people complain that English is complicated, I like to think instead that English is kind of fun. Here's a new word you might not know: "Contronym."

You probably know that synonyms are words that have similar meanings and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. But a contronym is a single word that can have two opposite meanings.

For example the word "sanction" can mean either to show support of something (give permission, allow, bless) or to not support something (punish, to penalize). Sanction is a contronym. You talk about a marriage being sanctioned, as well as countries being sanctioned, and it means opposite things contextually.

Here's some other example's of contronyms and some sentences that use the word both ways:

Cleave (Adhere, Detach): "She loves to cleave tree trunks with her father's old axe, when I tried to buy her a new one she cleaved to it and would not let the old one go."
Clip (Adhere, Detach): "After she got her hair clipped she clipped in a hair bow"
Dust (Remove particles, lay down particles): "He dusted off the crumbs before he dusted them with sugar."
Left (Departing, Remaining): "After the girls left the room only the boys were left in the room."
Variety (One type, many types): "There was a variety of pears at the farmer's market, but I only bought Red d'Anjou pears because they are my favorite variety."
Weather (Withstand, wear away): "After years of weathering big storms, the barn became weathered after last year's hot summer."

Reel People: Daniel Radcliffe is Allen Ginsberg

2013-03-17T13:35:00.000-06:00

The film is Kill Your Darlings which is the debut feature film directed and written by John Krokidas.

Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg was born in New Jersey on June 3, 1926. His father, Louis, a Jewish school teacher and his mother, Naomi, a communist.

Allen Ginsberg had some unique influences including a father who was interested in poetry and his mother therapy for mental illness. Both of his parents also had a high degree of social concern which they passed onto their son, leading Ginsberg at a young age to take a stand on a number of social and political issues.

In 1943 Ginsberg attended Montclair State College shortly before attending Columbia University on scholarship. At Columbia, through an initial connection to Lucian Carr he had the opportunity to meet beat poets including Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, and William S. Burroughs.

In 1948, a defining moment occured when Ginsberg had an auditory hallucination in his Harlem apartment where he heard various portions of William Blake poetry.

In 1954 Ginsberg moved to San Fransisco where in addition to being a part of the beat scene, he also met Peter Orlovsky. Peter had been drafted into the army during the Korean war but was transfered off the front by a psychiatrist to work as a medic in San Fransisco.

Ginsberg and Orlovsky fell in love and began a lifelong partnership in their openly homosexual relationship.

In 1955 Ginsberg stopped doing any sort of traditional work on the advice of his psychiatrist, and he focused strictly on poetry.

Allen Ginsberg had the opportunity to meet many of the famous beatniks of the era and established Beatitude a poetry magazine.

Artist Wally Hendrick approached Ginsberg about participating in a reading and October 7, 1955 an event "Six Poets at the Six Gallery" featured the reading of six poets: Phillip Lamantia, Michael McClure, Gary Snyder, Phillip Whalen, and Ginsberg. It was here that Ginsberg read "Howl." This is credited as Ginsberg's most famous and influential poem.

In 1957, Ginsberg and Peter Orlovsky left San Fransisco and traveled the world primarily spending their time in Paris where they joined George Corso along with many poets in what was known as the Beat Hotel until it closed in 1962.

Ginsberg helped bridge a gap between the beatniks and the hippies in the 1960s as he traveled in Europe and the United States meeting, reading, and interacting with a variety of poets. Ginsberg also became interested in Buddhism and Khrishnaism at this time.

Ginsberg had gained a degree of fame that continued to grow as he continued to write and publish through out the rest of his career.

At the age of 70, Ginsberg died surrounded by friends as he died of Liver Cancer in New York.

Kill Your Darlings

The film Kill Your Darlings deals with parts of aftermath of the murder of David Krammerer by Lucian Carr in 1944. Lucian Carr was a close friend of Ginsberg at Columbia. Carr had been stalked throughout his life from the older Krammerer. On August 13, 1944, Carr and Jack Kerouac were kicked off a boat they were attempting to sneak on board a merchant ship and when Krammerer later caught up with Carr, Krammerer is said to have made aggressive sexual advances on Carr and Carr killed him.

The event had a dramatic effect on the beat community include Ginsberg who is a key focus of the film.

In addition to Radcliffe playing the part of Ginsberg, the film also features Elizabeth Olsen as Edie Parker. Edie Parker married Kerouac when in jail as a successory of marriage. Dane DeHaan plays the part of Lucien Carr, Jack Huston plays Jack Kerouac, and Ben Foster plays William Burroughs. Allen Ginsberg's parents Louis and Naomi are played by David Cross and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Michael C Hall plays the part of David Krammerer.

Will Daniel Radcliffe's portrayal of the famous poet in his young formative years earn him critical attention and even an Oscar nomination/win for portraying this Real (Reel) Person?

Wearing Green - The Saint Patrick's Day Identity Crisis

2013-03-16T19:19:00.003-06:00

I have this dilemma.

I could care less about St. Patrick's Day.

I don't dislike it, but I don't feel the need to connect to an Irish heritage I don't have. I recall hearing once or twice about the real St. Patrick, which if I recall is an impressive story, but I am not going to fake it with a quick Wikipedia check, because St. Patrick is simply not someone I celebrate.

I feel like many people use the holiday as an excuse to drink green beer, which I don't think has anything to do with the real St. Patrick either.

Yet, every year I find myself in an identity crisis in which St. Patrick's Day comes and I feel like I have no choice but to wear green.

To me the choice is either:
1. Seem like a buzz kill not interested in harmless fun
2. Or seem like someone who cares

To most it seems, the choice would be easy. In the end, I settle on wearing green because I decide I don't want to seem like a party-pooper wearing a red shirt that turns a crowd of people into a Christmas scene.

Maybe it's having kids, but this year it doesn't really both me the idea of wearing green, although I still somehow worry people will think that I actually care enough to consciously choose my outfit around the day...but the truth is, I am, be it ever so reluctantly.

But don't worry, if you're free of green I will keep my pinching fingers to myself. You don't need to feel shame at all if you're wearing blue, black, khaki, orange or any color in between.

*Picture from OffBeatBride

Leave It To Beaver

2013-03-13T22:08:00.002-06:00

I recently complained/whined about my lack of TV I was interested in watching these days (that would be a #FirstWorldProblem)

And a cure has been discovered. One of the random digital antenna stations Antenna TV (owned by Tribune Broadcasting). So we're watching channel 31-2 these days and even if it's just in the background enjoy trying to catch some of Leave It To Beaver. Not entirely sure why, but it's intriguing, relaxing and entertaining -- night after night.

The TV blues are cured.

Reel People: Dakota Fanning is Effie Gray

2013-03-11T19:30:00.000-06:00

The film is Effie. The film is directed by Richard Laxton, the screenplay is written by Emma Thompson.

Effie Gray

Euphemia "Effie" Gray was born in Perth, Scotland in 1828. As a young girl she became closely acquainted with John Ruskin, a family friend and also a very famous art critic and philanthropist of the Victoria era.

Almost 10 years older than Effie, John wrote the fantasy novel The King of Golden River for her when she was only twelve. The book written in 1841 would be formally published in 1851 and would go through a number of printings.

John Ruskin and Effie Gray would get married in 1848. Though married, they did not consummate their marriage. John had a tendency in marriage to be more reserved, while Effie was more flirtatious. It said that John gave a number of reasons for not consummating the marriage including not wanting children, to preserve Effie's beauty, and religious motives. When they were divorced five year's later the annulment proceedings indicated that John had found some "circumstances in her person" that prevented him from consummating the marriage.

Prior to the annulment in 1854, she met the painter John Everett Millais, for whom she modeled for during her marriage to Ruskin. She fell in love with Millais, and this helped motivate her desire to file for the annulment. After a public scandal, she would go on to marry Millais in 1855.

John and Effie Malias would have eight children between 1856 to 1868.

Effie was also publicly not allowed to attend certain functions due to the scandal, including not allowed in the presence of Queen Victoria.

In August of 1896 John Millais died. Effie would die just over a year later on December 23, 1897.

Effie

The film Effie explores the love triangle between Effie, John Ruskin, and John Millais. In addition to Dakota Fanning playing the part of Effie, the role of Ruskin is performed by Gary Wise and Millais by Tom Sturridge.

In addition to Emma Tompson having written the script, she will also co-star as author and critic Lady Eastlake, with James Fox and Sir Charles Eastlake. The film also feature Julie Walters, Robbie Coltran, Claudia Cardinale, and Derek Jacobi.

Only 19 herself, Dakota Fanning has had a great career. Will see receive awards attention, maybe even an Oscar nomination for portraying this Reel (Real) Person?

Reel People: Felicity Jones is Nelly Ternan

2013-03-10T13:47:00.000-06:00

The film is The Invisible Woman, about Charles Dickens and his mistress. It is directed by Ralph Fiennes with a screenplay by Abi Morgan. The screenplay is based on the book The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin.

Nelly Ternan

She was born Ellen Lawless Ternan on March 3, 1839 in Rochester, Kent to Thomas Lawless Ternan and Frances Elanor Ternan. Ellen ("Nelly") was one of four children, although her brother died in infancy. Her other siblings were female, and the three of them quickly took to acting on stage.In 1842, at the age of three, she had her stage debut in the German melodrama Menschenhass und Reue by August von Kotzebue.

The children's involvement in the theater was considered essential for the family's survival and Nelly's acting skills were regarded to be lesser than her sisters.

During the week of Christmas in 1844 Nelly's father was involved in a fight which seemed to lead to a period of depression which lead him to be placed in an asylum. In 1846 Nelly's father died of suspected suicide.

Nelly's sisters and mother continued to act, and in 1857, after just turning 18, Nelly met Charles Dickens when he spotter her performing in London's Haymarket Theatre. Charles Dickens cast Nelly along with her mother and one of her sisters in Wilkie Collins' The Frozen Deep.

Charles Dickens was forty-five at the time that they met, and it is believed that shortly after there first encounter Nelly became Charles Dickens' mistress. In 1858 this secret affair was exposed when Charles Dickens' wife Catherine "Kate" discovered a gold bracelet mailed to Charles that was intended for Nelly.

This incident ended Charles and Kate's 22 year marriage.

The relationships between Nelly and Charles remained a secret, although Nelly left the stage in 1860 and traveled with Charles, often giving a fake name. It is believed that Nelly inspired many of Charles Dicken's characters in stories he wrote during this period of his life. Even in Dicken's death in 1868 he left enough money to Nelly to support her the rest of her life.

Nelly would marry six years after Charles Dickens died. Her husband, George Wharton Robinson, was fourteen years younger than Nelly, although she misrepresented her own age to him, pretending to be 23 when she was actually 37. They would have two children, Geoffery and Gladys. Together they ran a boys school in East Kent.

George died in 1910. She would spend the years following with her sister Frances in the seaside town of Southsea, until Frances died in 1913.

Nelly died in London on April 25, 1914 of a reoccurring case of breast cancer.

The Invisible Woman

The Invisible Woman tells the story Nelly and Charles relationship together. In addition to being directed by Ralph Fiennes, Fiennes stars in the role of Charles Dickens.

In addition to Jones and Fiennes, the cast also includes Tom Hollander as novelist/playwright Wilkie Collins and his girlfriend Caroline Graves is played by Michelle Fairley. The film also feature Kristin Scott Thomas.

Will Felicity Jones receive awards attention, maybe even an Oscar nomination for portraying this Reel (Real) Person?

Reel People: Chris Hemsworth is James Hunt

2013-03-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

The film is Rush, directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay to the film is written by two time Oscar nominee Peter Morgan.

James Hunt

James Hunt was born in Surrey, England on August 29, 1947. Born to Sue and Wallis Hunt, he was the second of six children. He attended prestigious schools and engaged in a number of sports as a child such as cricket, soccer, skiing and tennis. He is said to had an angry temper as a child, and had frequent run ins with his parents.

When he was eighteen his tennis doubles partner Chris Ridge took him to a car race and he was hooked. He would go onto race British Motor Corporation Minis until being picked up to race Formula Ford in 1968, and then onto Formula 3 in 1969. Hunt had some success in Formula 3 as well as controversy after a crash with Dave Morgan that resulted in Morgan receiving a 12 month suspension.

Hunt during his time with Formula 3 was developing a reputation for being reckless and causing cars to be totaled, adding cost to to the team and investors.

Hunt was also known for a reckless behavior off the course as well such as doing drugs and having sex with women before races.

In 1972 Hunt was dropped form his team, and would eventually be picked up by the eccentric Lord Alexander Hasketh who was starting a team, and decided to take a risk at starting a Formula 1 team in 1973 on account that the cost for Formula 1 was not significantly higher than Formula 2 and the Formula 3 cars had been ruined.

The Hesketh Racing team began Formula 1 in 1973 with a party-boy style of fancy cars, celebration, and and fine accommodations. Hasketh's team image matched Hunt's lifestyle. The team would go on to place 2nd in the 1973 Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York. James Hunt had the fastest lap of that race.

In 1974 Hunt would meet Suzy Miller in Spain, after few weeks after meeting Hunt would propose. Suzy Miller would become Hunt's first wife whom he would marry that same year. Suzy Miller would leave James Hunt a year later for Richard Burton. Burton would pay the $1 million dollar divoce settlement

In 1975, Hunt had a huge win in the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix in which he would beat Niki Lauda, a good friend of his off the track.

In 1976, Hunt would leave Hesketh Racing when he became the lead driver for McLaren, particularly as Hesketh's team was low on funding. Hunt's contract was lower than many other lead drivers and he created a stir when he didn't want to sign a clause requiring him to wear his racing suit to sponsored functions, preferring to arrive to functions often in jeans and barefooted.

1976 was Hunt's best year having six grand prix wins racing for McLaren. In addition to those wins, he also came in first in the 1976 British Grand Prix but his win was disqualified. In the first turn of the first lap, Hunt had an accident with Niki Lauda and Hunt would go onto win with a space car. Yet Ferrari (Luada's sponsor) contested the win and two month's later the win was given to Niki Lauda instead, creating much frustration for British race fans.

In race which followed the British Grand Prix, was the 1976 German Grand Prix in which Niki Lauda had a near fatal crash and Hunt was won the Grand Prix. Lauda would be out of subsequent races for which helped remove his biggest competitor for some future races. In the last race of the 1976 season James Hunt would came in third place in the Japanese Grand Prix which gave Hunt just enough points to win the World Championship in Formula 1 Racing for 1976.

The next two years Hunt would race for McLaren again and finished those seasons in 5th and 13th place overall. Part of his decline was due to technological advances that his team did not have, as well as a fetal accident of fellow race driver Ronnie Peterson in 1978.

In 1979 he switched to Wolf Racing team but after a number of technical difficulties and accidents, he made a statement retiring at the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix.

Hunt was going to re-enter the 1980 season at the US Grand Prix, but after a skiing industry did not re-enter Formula One racing. He instead relaunched his career as a commentator for BBC sports, commentating alongside Murray Walker on BBC2 Formula One racing program Grand Prix.

In 1982 Hunt would meet his second wife Sarah Lomax in Spain with friends. James and Sarah would be married December 17, 1983. They had two kids Tom and Freddie. They would seperate in 1988 but continue to live together for the interest of their children, and were diveroced in 1989 on the grounds of adultery committed by Hunt.

In 1989 he would meet Helen Dyson a younger waitress whom was credited for helping James clean up his life. He would propose to her on June 14, 1993. The following day (June 15, 1993) he died of a heart attack at the age of 45 at his home in Wimbledon.

Rush

The film Rush focuses on the 1976 Formula One Racing season, particularly the rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt and the final race of the season in Japan.

In addition to Chris Hemsworth playing the part of James Hunt, the film also features Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda, Olivia Wilde as Suzy Miller, and Christian McKay as Lord Hasketh.

Will Chris Hemsworth receive awards attention, maybe even an Oscar nomination for portraying this Reel (Real) Person?

Real (Reel) People Win Oscars: 2013 Edition

2013-03-09T14:36:00.001-07:00

When it comes to win an Academy Award, recent years have shown that not any bio-pic performance means a guaranteed nomination, but if you get nominated for your performance playing a real person, then there is a good chance you will win.

Of the past 10 years (20 Lead Actor/Actress winners), 12 of these winners have won for playing real life people. That's 60% of winners since the 2003 ceremony.

• In 2012 Daniel Day-Lewis played Abraham Lincoln and won the Best Actor award (his third Oscar win)
• In 2011 Meryl Streep played the well known British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and won the Best Actress prize (her third Oscar)
• In 2010 Colin Firth played King George VI, stuttering British royalty at the dawn of the radio era and won for Best Actor.
• In 2009 Sandra Bullock played a surprise hero as the Southern mother Leigh Ann Tuohy and won for Best Actress.
• In 2008 Sean Penn played controversial politician Harvey Milk and won the Oscar for Best Actor.
• In 2007 Marion Cotillard played French singer Ediath Piaf and won the Oscar for Best Actress.
• In 2006 Helen Mirren played Queen Elizabeth II and won the Oscar for Best Actress.
• In 2006 Forrest Whitaker played Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and won the Oscar for Best Actor
• In 2005 Reese Witherspoon played country music celeb June Carter and won the Oscar for Best Actress.
• In 2005 Philip Seymour Hoffman played author Truman Capote and won the Oscar for Best Actor.
• In 2004 Jamie Foxx played musician Ray Charles and won the Oscar for Best Actor.
• In 2003 Charlize Theron played prostitute/serial killer Aileen Wuornos and won the Best Actress Oscar.

The non-biopic winners from the past 10 years: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Lining Playbook), Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Natalie Portman (Black Swan), Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Kate Winslet (The Reader), Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby), Sean Penn (Mystic River).

I wouldn't expect 2013 to be different. As a result we can almost plan on either Best Actor Oscar winner or Best Actress winner going to a performer who played in a biographical film as a "Real (Reel) Person."

2013 Real (Reel) People Performances:

• Reel People: Chadwick Boseman is Jackie Robinson
• Reel People: Dakota Fanning is Effie Gray
• Reel People: Chris Hemsworth is James Hunt
• Reel People: Felicity Jones is Nelly Ternan
• Reel People: Sean Penn is Mickey Cohen
• Reel People: Daniel Radcliffe is Allen Ginsberg

Click the following links to see the previous Real (Reel) People projects from 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Or check the reel people archive.

TV Withdrawal

2013-03-05T20:41:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you and your TV schedule, but at our house we've been in a little TV withdrawal.

There's certain shows we watch, often on DVD, and look forward to a new season when it comes out. Most of our shows we watch have ended their TV run with a series finale (example: House MD), and then there are other shows we watch live, namely NBC's Parenthood and Downton Abbey. Both of those shows we watch live have ended their season as well.

In January we watched season 1 of Showtime's Homeland, and season 2 has not yet been released on DVD, before that we had watched the most recent season of Fox's Fringe, and are waiting for the final season. We also watched all the seasons of BBC's Sherlock, but that's not coming back forever, it seems.

So, we truly have nothing we are interested in watching on TV (as far as television, not movies) are concerned, and not even something we're dying to start.

I wish one of the mid-season replacements had caught our eye, but alas, none did. And so, we are experiencing TV withdrawals.

If only there were TV show personal ads: "Man seeks TV Show with fun and engaging personality."

Drives Me Crazy - Stealing Fountain Drinks

2013-02-25T21:11:00.001-07:00

If I'm at any sort of "fast food" restaruant - or a place I stand in line or walk through a line to get my food, one thing has started to drive me crazy and that is the fountain drink stealer.

Scenario: Today at McDonald's
1. Teen walks to counter says "I'd like a water cup" (he doesn't order anything)
2. McDonald's Employee provides Cup
3. Teen fills up cup with Soda

As soon as the "water cup" was requested, I knew where it was going - stolen fountain drink. Forfeiting your own integrity for a little savings on some carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup and some flavor.

At McDonald's they provided a small cup that had no unique distinguishing factors from their small fountain drink cup.

Yet, even at places like Panera (with their rinky-dink-bathroom-spit-cup-sized water cups) I see people who have filled them up soda.

I'm not one to generalize, but I will admit, these are usually teenage boys.

Boys...pay the dollar to get the Coke if you want it.

(Side note: Panera, I sometimes do want water, and wish your water cups were a little bigger, those little one's are obnoxious)

Quick 85th Academy Award Thoughts

2013-02-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

Charlize Theron & Channing Tatum Dancing in the Academy Awards Opening

Here's some quick thoughts on tonight's Academy Awards ceremony.

Seth MacFarlane - I don't know, sometimes I thought he did a good job and other times...well, he made the night awkward to me. Such as when he introduced Selma Hayek talking about how Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Selma Hayek were beautiful but hard to understand. I felt like Hayek was self conscious during her whole presentation.
"Music Theme" - Do the Oscar's really need a theme? And they usually do music, but was a music theme really required? I especially thought the inclusion of the song from Chicago and Dreamgirls was unnecessary
Stars Getting a Star Bump -It always seems like certain people get a little star power bump, and it seemed to me that one of those biggest bumps was Charlize Theron who got good red carpet coverage, a dance in an opening scene, and presented an award. It seemed like she was reminding us of who she was. Other stars in this category seemed like Sally Field who seems to have really helped reintroduce herself well through Lincoln.
Surprises - Christoph Waltz (although I imagine voting in supporting acting was very interesting, would love to know how those votes stacked up), and I thought we would see Steven Spielberg not Lee for director.
Argo - Here's some post I've done previously that are now relevant to the conversation:

Ben Affleck: Golden Globe Winning Director, Not Even Oscar Nominated...Is He The First?
Argo is now the 22nd One Word Title Oscar winner: One Word Title Oscar Best Picture Winners
I was annoyed a little bit of Ben Affleck talking about his rough life, yes, you may have not been nominated, but you still took home an Oscar. Congrats and be happy.

My Favorite Moments - Shirley Bassey singing "Goldfinger" and Jennifer Lawrence's acceptance speech (much better than her Globe Speech)

Shirley Bassey singing "Gold Finger" (from Goldfinger, 1964), which incipiently was not nominated for an Oscar for the 1965 ceremony. List of previous James Bond Oscar History can be found here.

Writing: Re-Brainstorming

2013-02-20T09:37:00.001-07:00

Re-Brainstorming

I've been writing recently, and have been really pleased with my in progress work.

One of the things that I've enjoyed about the writing process this time around is that when I put together my story I had a definite plan and story mapped out from the very start.

Part of that was certain "scenes" or "moments" that I wanted to happen in the book. And as I got going and the characters came to life, certain scenes just didn't seem right, or perhaps more than not seeming right they existed in an alternative universe for these characters.

I could see that scene happening, I think to myself, but based on the order of events it just doesn't fit anymore.

Yesterday, at about 40,000 words typed, I took the time to remap out the rest of the story. There were certain event timeline conflicts that needed to be re-reviewed, and while the shell of the story stayed the same, I found and identified certain gaps or even moments I needed to reconsider.

This sensation of re-brainstorming was something I don't think I've typically read about or heard people talk about in the writing process, but I found it very fulfilling. Instead of being dedicated to push through with the original shell of my story, it gave it a chance to breathe.

So often, whether it's in books or movies that last half of the book has a less exciting feel. The goal of the first half of the book seems to be often characters, setting up the problem, and setting up the conclusion.

You say to yourself I want the protagonist to kill the man at the end with the gun, so let's have her at a shooting range at the beginning of the story to establish her gun skills (note: there is no gun shooting in my story).

I started by identifying the remaining major scenes in my story and made sure they all connected in a way that could be clear, reasonable, and logical. I identified some questions I had about my characters, decisions I've made about them that I feel I have not yet appropriately revealed to the reader. I've revisited the reasonableness of their motivates and intentions in these major scenes based on what I had been able to present so far. This was very helpful.

For me the process of re-brainstorming mid-stream was refreshing - it reminded me it wasn't just a race to end conclusion but an opportunity to still create some compelling moments, to continue to build the characters and create an opportunity for the story to remain cohesive and organized.

Car Crashes In Film - Uninspiring & Convinient

2013-02-17T20:37:00.003-07:00

Outside of action films were car crashes might be a small part of the action, it seems to me that when films or books have car accidents in them it's an uninspiring and convenient choice.

For the sake of convenience I say "Car crash" but this could be another type of accident such as the recent bus accident in the film Margaret or the hitting of a young boy in the movie Rabbit Hole, or even the incidents of car accidents and carjackings in Crash.

The Car Crash Intrigue:
A car crash has a unique film intrigue because it puts two people (or group of people) together who normally wouldn't come in contact with one another, and very quickly.

Even recently I was in a minor fender bender and instantly your life intersects with a stranger. Who is this person? What do they do? How does this fifteen second event impact our next hour, next day, and beyond.

Story Catalyst:
In addition to putting two people together who might not normally encounter one another, it quickly accelerates or creates the plot. Particularly if the the accident causes a death, this becomes a plot power keg. It seems like a good story start in that regards, but I find that to be kind of a boring path for a story to take on.

If not death, even in movies like Mulholland Drive where the character survives a car accident it kicks of a story or in 50 First Dates when a car accident creates a case of amnesia setting up the primary plot points (surprisingly similar to last year's The Vow, just not funny)

Generally the accident on the front end of the film get's the plot moving forward, even if working out the ramifications of the accident the entire film.

Emotional Moments & Final Words:
I think of the movie Signs, a film that is colored by a death and a car accident. A character's death not only creates an emotional moment but the characters final words (in the case of signs: "Tell Merill to swing away," creates an important plot point. Final words have power, but as a magical/mystical plot point, it can sometimes be a little bit of a convenient fix (or over sentimentalized moments) to chunky plot points.

An Awful Ending
It's almost as bad as a movie ending and it all being a dream. The sudden car accident at the end that kills a main character (spoiler: One Day). It seems lazy, dramatic, and a bad ending.

Not Marketable or Remarkable
Looking at 2013 films with car accidents I find myself finding these films in categories of one's I'm not interested. Here some of the films that fit this bill, any intrigue you? I've included their IMDB.com summary.

Assumed Memories (dir. Bernard Salzmann): Award winning news reporter Daria Valdez Morrow was investigating a series of murders caused by a local serial killer when she gets into a car accident and suffers from Retrograde Amnesia. When she comes to, she begins to suspect that her husband, Sam Morrow is the serial killer she had been reporting about and embarks on a journey to discover the truth.
Intersections (dir. David Marconi): A couple on their honeymoon in Morocco survive a deadly car accident in the middle of the desert.
Milwood (dir. Evan Goldman, Jimmy Scanlon): After an unexpected fatal car accident, Nathan Perry is assigned to the Milwood facility for young adults. During his time at Milwood, Nathan becomes a victim of unforeseen terror and unusual behavior.
Nerve (dir. Sebastien Guy): Nerve follows a man, Jakob Evans, who has just suffered an emotional breakdown from the recent death of his wife in a car accident. But Jakob's loss and pain runs deep as he also claims to have found her in bed with another man just before her death.
No Good Deeds (dir. Sam Miller): A former district attorney and her kids are kidnapped by a man who has escaped from prison and poses as the victim of a car accident.
The Remembrance (dir. Brandon Taylor): After a life changing car accident, Nate is haunted by what he's done.
Shhh (dir. Ruben Rodriguez): AAngela Tucker was involved in a horrific car accident that killed her mother and younger sister. The accident left her mute, a side effect from post-traumatic stress.

Feel free to list in the comments a car accident in film you liked or didn't like in a film.

RC is Writing

2013-02-16T10:48:00.001-07:00

If you're a regular follower of this blog (maybe you read it in a feed, have this blog saved as a favorite and check it regularly, receive update e-mails, or link over from other sites) you will have noticed a slight decrease in my posting recently.

As this blog is primarily a movie blog some people are talking about the Oscar award contenders, the festivals, guild awards, and other related topics. The people who do that do I better job than I do, so it's not uncommon for me to lie low this time of year.

Instead, when I talk about film, I often talk about future releases and look at the field of possible award contenders well in advance of film releases. Obviously, I discuss all sorts of other things as well, but my mind is slightly preoccupied these days.

My preoccupation has come from buckling down and writing a novel, again...I've drafted a few and my experience has been that I'm slightly dissatisfied with my work product either mid-stream or upon completion.

Yet, I feel different about what I'm writing now.

I have a time and opportunity to focus on my book and with the availability of self-publishing options, I'm excited about the opportunity of presenting a finished product.

I've considered using this space (my blog) to share some of the experiences of writing, self-publishing, and other things along the journey. But I am also afraid of pushing you, my reader, away if you interpret my actions as a departure from regular blogging or shameless self-promotion.

This is not my intention.

If you are interested in reading some more posts about this experience, let me know. Leave a comment here on this post, ask a question, send me an e-mail, or shoot me a tweet @strangeculture.

Thanks for reading, StrangeCultureBlog.com.