Perfect Blue Buildings

This is the End, beautiful friend...

2009-11-13T14:00:00.006-06:00

After a seven-plus year run, I've decided to shut down this blog.

Why, is your question.

I guess the shortest way to say it is, I began this blog at a very different time of my life, and to try to hang on to it, as it is, would be like trying to hang on to a past that has, well, passed. It's done. This chapter of my life is done.

I'm on the brink of some pretty key personal changes. I'm starting to work through some things I've taken for granted as normal. This blog has been an outlet for feelings and emotions that should have been dealt with in the real world. In a sense, over the years, I used this blog as a hiding spot, to avoid dealing with my issues. The "emo" posts I'd spew every so often contained thoughts and ideas that should have been shared with people in my physical life, who could walk with me through them and help me learn how to cope and grow.

Instead, I've been hiding in a lot of ways. And the times when I just couldn't stand wearing the "happy" mask anymore, I'd come here, explode in a fury of emotion and depression, get it out of my system, and go back to hiding. I'd scare the people who loved me the most, because I never vented these feelings with them, so seeing my sadness in print seemed disturbing and out-of-character. All this time, I should have been talking to the people around me, instead of faceless printed voices on the internets.

And I love you guys, all of you who have read my blog over the years. Most of you have stopped reading my blog because you got more interesting lives. God bless you. I hope to follow in your footsteps now. The rest of you, who despite your interesting lives still read my oft-neglected page, I love you all the more for sticking around. I feel like I have built little relationships with each of you. But these relationships are thin and hollow. If you want to get to know me, send me an email, message me on Facebook, find me on AIM. Let's really talk. If you'd rather not, I take no offence whatsoever. Go with my blessing and peace.

I'm going to miss being a regular "blogger." It's been an identity thing, you know? But, as I've ruminated over often in these pages, it's also an ego thing, the idea that my words are important enough to be flung out into space like this. Some of you have fed this illusion with your generous praise. (I'm looking at you, Laura.) Thank you. But there's nothing of value in here that you can't get from me elsewhere. Like I said, Facebook me. IM me. Email me. Connect. I'd love to continue the conversation.

But this old house, these perfect blue buildings, they're full of ghosts. Not of old loves, but of old me. The person I used to be, and the person I'm trying to shake out of like a snake shedding its skin. There's something living inside, something fresh and new that needs to be freed, but to do that I need to leave something behind. This blog represents part of that something. The rest of it, I'm finding ways to scrape off and get rid of as well.

So it's time for a new neighborhood. Goodbye, Perfect Blue Buildings (formerly Anything To Disrupt the Tedium, and Anything to Dispel the Silence [i think]). It's been a good run. Seven years. Mazel tov.

(I feel like I'm reciting the last five pages of Our Town. Goodbye to clocks ticking, and my old butternut tree.)

I should clarify: I'm not disappearing from the internet entirely. Aside from FB, I'll still track my fitness and distance-running progress on the Waddling Bison blog. I'll still post poetry as The Man in the Brown Hat. If you want to see those pages, take a look around the interwebs, you'll find me. But *this* blog has run its course. The emo-confessional/pop-culture-commentary/political-gadfly business. It's done.

As to the fate of this website. I haven't decided. In the next week, I'll be combing the archives for anything worth salvaging, any creative bits i want to save and use elsewhere. Then...I don't know. Some of you asked me to keep the archives active so you can peruse them, relive the highlights and lowlights. Thing is, I think I'd be tempted to do it too. And that kinda defeats the purpose. I haven't decided yet, but I have to confess, i'm leaning toward torching the place. Send PBB off into internet Valhalla, Viking-style.

I'll let you know what I decide, one way or another.

But this is it, internet. Last PBB post. Feels like I should be dropping all sorts of inside jokes and references to past goofiness. (Save that for the PBB Dead Letter Office mailbag? Sure. Send it "Attn: Gerard.")

Actually, I should probably just end this before I change my mind about the whole thing.

Famous Last Words: Jesus loves you more than you'll ever know. He's the only thing worth living for. Find life in Him.

Love you guys. Be good. See ya around.

U2 Live at the Rose Bowl

2009-10-27T09:05:00.001-05:00

Linky-Love When September Ends...

2009-09-25T16:16:00.002-05:00

(a little early, but i wanted to make the reference anyway)

Lots of links, so let's set these up by category!

TEN MUSICAL PARODIES, MASH-UPS, AND BITS O' SILLINESS FROM "TBT"
1) Nirvana + Rick Astley
2) Beastie Boys + Rush
3) Indiana Jones + Counting Crows
4) Billy Joel + The Office
5) "Fresh Prince" Theme + Folk Music
6) Beatles + Led Zepplin
7) Verve Pipe + College Overeating
8) Shakespeare + Metal
9) MC skillz + pre-flight announcements
10) Superman Theme + Church Organ

FIVE COOL STORIES THAT HAPPEN TO BE TRUE
1) Medical researchers announce that the appendix is not a vestigal organ and actually has useful purposes. The Intelligent Designer of Human Anatomy chuckles to himself.
2) Imagine finding out that you are part of an immortalized piece of American photographic art.
3) The tragic and redemptive journey of NBA "washout" David Vaughn.
4) The story of a college student unable to pay tuition, and a pastor who gathered a community of support around him to help out. Way to go, Christians.
5) Man uses monkey mask to avoid getting speeding tickets from photographic speed-traps.

5 THINGS I OUGHTA SPEND SOME TIME AND WRITE A REAL POST ABOUT (BUT WON'T)
1) A bloody and disturbing PSA about texting while driving, that was released in the UK last month. I think it's worth watching, but it is pretty graphic, so some readers may not want to see it. The question the article poses is, Will this keep people from texting while driving? [Answer: No, because I still text or check email while driving once in a while, even though I know better and am trying to quit the habit.]
2) David Bazan's journey away from faith. (He formerly sang in the band Pedro the Lion. Here's his latest.)
3) The NIV bible is getting another language update, including some slight changes to the gender language uses.
4) This moving and thoughtful article about miscarriage and loss.
5) How kids deal with sharing their birthday with an American tragedy.

10+ THINGS THAT ARE ONLY COOL IF YOU'RE GEEKY ENOUGH TO APPRECIATE THEM
1) The viral campaign for the Sherlock Holmes movie kicked off last month.
2) Top 70 most iconic panels from Marvel comics, according to "Comics Should Be Good."
3) Tonight's the season premiere of "Smallville" (woot!), so here's Tom Welling's take on the new season.
4) The Fine Brothers give 100 TV spoilers from shows past and present. (Do I even need to add "SPOILER ALERT!" to this one?)
5) PASTE Magazine creates a playlist dedicated to the marriage of doughy-faced Death Cabber Ben Gibbard to the lovely (If-Only-She-Were-Mrs.-Teacherdave-Instead) Zooey Deschanel.
6) Literary tattoos. Enough said.
7) Number One on the "Things I Wish Were Real" list (Video Game Edition): Mega Man in 3D!
8) XKCD is now in book form!
9) Fine, I'll go ahead and say it: I think LOLCats is sometimes pretty funny. So?
10) More TBT geeky song links!

PBB Capsule Movie Reviews: 9

2009-09-18T15:51:00.003-05:00

Starring the voices of Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, and others

[Trailer]

This is a visually beautiful film, and that alone makes it worth seeing at least once. Unfortunately, the storyline doesn't tell anything particularly new or innovative, and the plot is episodic and video-gamey, so it doesn't justify your full nine bucks at the multiplex. Also, it contains scary and disturbing images, and several tense moments, so if you take children to see it, YOU ARE AN IDIOT. Don't do that. There are a lot of really interesting conceptual ideas presented here, and I really wish that more care would have been given during pre-production to developing and thinking through the narrative backbone of the film. Unfortunately, it's clear this was rushed through as soon as the two famed producers signed on, because the rushed result is a lot of rehashed ideas thrown in a blender with some really neat action set-pieces and a muddled, uninspired ending. I noticed several "off-ramps" where the plot could have gone in different and more interesting directions, but instead chose to stay on target and barrel on toward a predictable ending. However, I will say that this sense of familiarity played well during the dread-filled (not at all dreadful) "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" sequence.

Final Verdict: I'm not sorry I saw this beautiful, creepy, but sadly predictable little fable. Definitely worth your Netflix queue slot, dollar at Redbox, or buck-fifty at the second-run movie theater.

PBB Capsule Movie Reviews: The Time Traveller's Wife

2009-09-18T15:28:00.000-05:00

Starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams (and Ron Livingston for, like, three scenes)

[Trailer]

If you watch the trailer, you pretty much get the gist of the movie. I was willing to give it a chance, and the fact of the matter is, if Rachel McAdams filmed her last five trips to the grocery store, I'd probably be interested in watching it. She's just gorgeous. Unfortunately, the grocery-store idea would have been more compelling than Time Traveller's Wife, which ultimately didn't say anything about the human condition or the eternal power of love or any other cliched theme you hoped would appear to give the actors something worthwhile to do or say. Instead, the movie did its best to completely sidestep any of the thorny implications that any sci-fi nerd knows are inevitable when discussing time travel. Further, there were moments of potential drama that were glossed over so nonchalantly that I was getting frustrated with the film. Then I realized my problem: taking the film to be anything other than a cash-in on the sappy, romantic, Nicholas-Sparks-loving demographic. And as someone who appreciates a decently-constructed chick flick, when even I'm disappointed you know there's a problem.

Final Verdict: Just pretend you've travelled into the future to the point where you've already seen the movie, and don't bother going to the theater.

A Different Person Started This Blog

2009-09-17T16:17:00.002-05:00

Apparently, the concept of the "seven-year cellular turnover" is a myth. This disappoints me. I really liked the idea of being a completely different person, at the most basic cellular level, than I was when I finished college.

But the fact is, in other ways, in ways that matter, I think I am a good bit different than I was 7 years ago. Want proof?

Today is the seventh anniversary of this blog, formerly called "Anything to Disrupt the Tedium" (or something similar to that).

My first ever post is here.

If you're bored or in need of something to help you sleep, take a peek at the archives. You get to see a lot of my blood and guts and bile and tears and nonsense. I wasn't very good at filtering for the first several years there. Thankfully, the comments have been lost through multiple template changes, so a lot of drama was swept away, and you're just left with my lunatic ravings.

So here's something fun, in honor of the day: Totally Honest Answer Day!

I'll answer, totally honestly, any question asked in my comments today and today only.

(This would be scarier for me if more than four of you read the blog with any regularity.)

Anyway, that's all. Happy blogiversary to me, I guess.

Self-indulgent

2009-09-17T15:28:00.002-05:00

I saw a comment on a Youtube video of the revival version of "Company," in which the commenter said this production was "so self-indulgent."

Isn't theatre, at its core, self-indulgent? The whole process is really one big imagination game. The actors often do it as much for themselves as for the audience. Acting isn't a purely altruistic form of expression. It's fun. It's fulfilling. It's thrilling. It strokes the ego.

I suppose the commenter meant to imply that the director/designer/producer was self-indulgent in their creation of this production. But the cheap and easy accusation of "so self-indulgent" is weak on its face because it's theater-critic shorthand, parroted by the overeducated and underwhelmed. A five-word salvo fired off by someone who doesn't have the brains or balls to explain themselves in any way that could be critiqued or defended.

I'm in the mood today to call people on their bullshit. And that comment was. Organic, Grade-A.

Tired of Being Sorry

2009-09-17T14:09:00.004-05:00

It's a pretty good song by Ringside (later covered by Enrique Iglesias).

Anyway.

I know I'm not blogging the way I said I would. I want to. I want to give you witty movie reviews, a description of my recent karaoke and drive-in experiences, maybe some discussion on what I've been thinking about lately. General bloggy goodness, in other words.

But...I don't know. I think i've grown impatient with trying to draw out the words. I sit down to write a blog post, and almost immediately get overwhelmed by the idea of going over all the details, re-reading it to make sure I didn't make any big grammatical or logical mistakes, polishing up the phrasing. I guess I'm just getting incredibly lazy, when typing a blog post is too daunting some days. Dickens and Shakespeare would roll their eyes in utter disgust.

I'm not a writer anymore. I guess I just have to admit that. And that...really sucks. Because I love stories, and I love telling stories. Being a writer is part of how I self-identify. Or was. For years, I've seen myself as a writer, if lately a back-slidden one.

Now? I don't know what I am. I still want to be a writer. I loved writing, once. I don't know what's happened to change that. Maybe working with words day after day has started to turn me away from it all.

I'm making excuses.

Here's the bottom line: I want to blog. I do... but I don't. So I'm gonna blog when I can, how I can, if I can.

Oh Holy Moses This is Good

2009-09-10T10:13:00.001-05:00

Poor, Neglected Ol' Blog

2009-09-08T10:48:00.003-05:00

Hello blog.

So yeah, I was good-naturedly ribbed by Kim last week that as soon as I got cable, my blog died. There's truth to that. So I'm gonna fill you in, over the course of three or four posts, on what's been going on with me lately. Nothing earth-shattering, but you may be amused.

So this is the "Hi, I'm not dead, I'm just resting" post.

My status, over the last two weeks, in brief: Work is going pretty well, church well enough, marathon training less well, personal discipline and organization least well. I need to budget time, money, and energy better. And seeing friends from college is always fun. The end.

I don't want to get into it all now--I really need to start working at work. (Crazy idea, right?)

But tonight/tomorrow/Thursday, I'll tell you about karaoke with Mr. Lee and Sushi GEEEEEEEEE!, and about how the best movie I saw over the holiday weekend is the one I'm most ashamed to admit seeing.

Also, here's something lovely:

Giving in to peer pressure.

2009-08-25T16:26:00.004-05:00

Every fall, I face this temptation, and for the last several years, I've hung tough. I've stayed strong. I've resisted temptation.

Today, I gave in.

I am now a cable TV subscriber.

I feel dirty admitting that.

You may be saying, "Dave, it's about time you quit being stubborn about this. I can't believe you haven't had cable for so long!" But the fact is, I've been doing just fine without cable TV for the past two or three years. You may not be aware of this, but they broadcast television shows right now--for free--over the AIR!

I was content in the past, setting my VCR to record 8 television programs (or blocks of programs) each week. I had my six-hour tape ready, and had to watch my shows pretty regularly so I didn't miss anything. It was fine. It was cool. And it was FREE.

However, the "digital conversion" has now thrown a monkey wrench into my plans. Turns out I have to change channels on Uncle Sam's magic black box, so I can't program the VCR. I made do this past spring, by preparing the night before and selecting which channel to record the next day. But now that the digital switchover is complete, it seems like I'm getting less consistent service. And I still can't get CBS. I'm gonna miss Big Bang Theory if i don't address this.

Cable isn't cheap, but it is easy. And having a DVR to record things and watch them at my convenience is really an inviting proposition.

So, out of curiosity, I went over to the cable company's website, and saw that they were also giving away free money for signing up. Free money's pretty inviting too.

So I did it. It's done. And on Thursday night, I'll have glorious, crystal-clear cable television.

My parents will be thrilled--I can stop clogging up their DVR with my shows.

The Greatest Four Minutes in Film History

2009-08-19T11:11:00.001-05:00

I will not countenance disagreement on this matter:

Too Much Awesome Not to Share

2009-08-18T10:22:00.002-05:00

If you don't immediately recognize what this video is parodying, you need to go out and rent the greatest film ever made by humans.

"Dear Ron" Letter

2009-08-13T08:39:00.000-05:00

(Cross-posted at the Waddling Bison blog)

My dearest Micki D,

We've been together for...ever, really. As long as I can remember, you've been a part of my life. When I was a child, I used to beg my parents to let me go to your house, because lunch with you made me happy, and you always shared your toys.

As I grew, my appetite for your companionship grew as well. My love for you was super-sized, and your affect on me multiplied. Sometimes, in high school, my busy schedule with work and sports kept us from seeing each other so often, and the lack of companionship was as plain to see.

But with college, and especially in the early part of my post-college career, our relationship was renewed, and it deepened daily. I'd stop by and see you in the mornings on my way to work, and sometimes immediately after work, on my way home. You welcomed me at your window, and bestowed your paper-wrapped presents on me.

This affection we shared grew to a deep love, freely refilled day by day. And it's been great, Micki. Really. Believe me when I say, I'm lovin' it.

But something has happened to me. I've started making changes in my life. And I have to confess--I just don't think we can see each other anymore.

It's not you. You've been great. I just don't know if our relationship has been healthy for me. I know I'm the only one to blame in this; you never claimed to be anything but what you are, and I loved you for that. And lately, as you have emphasized your particular values, I have to confess that loving you has never been cheaper or easier.

However, in the last few months, sneaking off to see you has left me feeling guilty every time. I try to pretend I'm only an acquaintance, and sometimes even lie about our trysts. I can't do that anymore.

You've been great, Micki. Really. But my life is taking me down new roads. And you can't come with me this time.

I'm really sorry. But we're through. If we cross paths in the future, it's okay to wave, or say hi. But we can never be this close again.

Know that you will always have a quarter-pound of my heart.

Your special sauce,
Dave

P.S. If you see your sister Wendy, tell her I need to talk to her, okay?

No Iron Man? FINE. How about a Superman?

2009-08-11T10:43:00.001-05:00

Since the legal powers-that-be removed the flippin sweet IM2 footage from the internets, here's a recap of the previous season of "Smallville"--in case you were curious what the CW's longest-running series is up to.

Better than Ashley Simpson doing a jig.

2009-08-07T15:47:00.002-05:00

I'm gonna break what is generally considered a cardinal rule among elite bloggers. The one that goes, "Don't blog your dreams, because no one really cares." (That's never stopped me before, however.) So here we go:

====

I'm the lead singer of a alterna-rock band, think Collective Soul or something college-rocky. We're doing a live concert in this gorgeous auditorium, similar to the one in "School of Rock," with the balcony and everything. Large venue. This concert is being produced by Janet Jackson and Randy Jackson (the Idol judge, who in my mind has always been an extant member of the Jackson 5). The concert is also being simulcast live on the internet.

It's near the end of the show, and I'm doing the lead singer banter bit, thanking the Jacksons for setting up the event, and teasing them a little. I think i actually made the joke, "Keep it down you two, or we're turning this concert around and going home." But I'm the affable lead singer, so everyone laughed.

We're taking a short break, because I can see on the monitors that display the broadcast that there's a quick commercial for another band playing a future show. The band is called "O. A. F." which I mock quietly (but audibly) by crossing my eyes, and saying "Oaf!" Another laugh. Finally, we're "live" again, so I say something like, "Okay, let's go!"

The music starts. Typical pop-rock radio fare. Except... I don't remember the words. So I start coughing to cover it up. The problem is, there's a voice track to "boost" my vocals, and it's playing while I'm coughing. After the longest ten seconds of my career, as I'm gesturing with a finger across the throat to cut it off, the music ends. The band is embarrassed. Randy and Janet angrily storm out the side door of the auditorium. And I'm there, up front, amid the catcalls and boos. People are getting up to leave, laughing. One guy holds up his iPhone and says, "Dude, this clip is up all over the internet!"

Here's where it gets odd: I ignore the hisses and say something like, "Okay, okay, hang on, everybody! Come back, I wanna say something." People stop walking out, standing in the aisles, shushing a few talkers. Everyone's waiting for an explanation.

I go on to say something like, "Yes, I was using a vocal backing track tonight. I'm sorry if that seems like cheating. There are various reasons why a singer would do that. For example, maybe he's sick, and can't hit his usual notes. Maybe he's having trouble remembering a new song. Maybe...maybe he's just afraid of letting people down. I was. I wanted to give you guys the best show I could. We all do--that's what we do every night. We don't take this for granted, guys. We love playing music and making you happy, and we bust our tails every night to put on a good show, because we know that's what you want.

"I know I let you down tonight. But I want to make it up to you. So, here, gimme this--" At this point, I walk back to the guitar tech and take an acoustic guitar from his hand. As I'm walking back I grab a stool from near the drum kit, and plant myself in front of the mic. "No gimmicks, no machines. Just you and me."

The audience starts to filter back to their seats. Some leave, but most stay, confused and curious what will come next. I look over my shoulder at the dumbstruck band. "You guys can go grab some dinner in the dressing room; I'm good here."

Then I proceed to play an acoustic set. Our songs, covers, stuff I didn't even know if I knew well enough. And the crowd slowly warms up, until we're all singing along, having a great time.

Then I wake up.

=====

A bizarre version of the "embarrassed in front of a crowd" dream. Maybe subconsciously, I'm reassuring myself that, if I fail, I can fail spectacularly and still keep people happy. Or maybe I'm just nuts.

We report, you decide.

In case you're curious...

2009-08-03T16:24:00.002-05:00

The old diet blog has gotten a face-lift and has been repurposed for marathon training. Also, the URL has changed, so clicky the linky to get the new one. kthxbai.

PBB Capsule Movie Reviews: "It's Already August?!?" Edition

2009-08-01T00:38:00.003-05:00

Don't know what to do this weekend? Here are four cinematic options, two to look for at your local indieplex, and two summer blockbusters I'm just getting around to seeing at my local $1.50 theater.

I'm gonna spare you the synopsis of each film--check out the trailer, or look it up on IMDB if you're really curious:

=====

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Rated PG-13 for awesome violence and some couple-lovin

Finally! A Wolverine feature! Wolvie's my favorite X-Men character, as he is for many fans of the comics/films. Hugh Jackman has always been the perfect mix of rage and humanity to play this frustrated, broken, violent character. In this film, he shines. It's not a great movie--clearly not a "Marvel" movie, as Will says. (Essentially, there are two production companies who put out X-Men movies; this is from the lesser of the two.) But I tell ya what--if you want a rip-roaring actioner starring your favorite clawed mutant, you could do worse. (X-Men 3.) The film itself feels rushed; I wished it spent more time with some of the other X-Men Universe characters that are introduced and quickly ushered off-screen. (Dom!) Two I really wanted to see more of were Gambit and pre-mouthzip Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds!). Looking forward to hopefully future screen-time for both characters. The one great improvement that this movie makes on past X-Men films is casting the great Liev Schrieber as Sabretooth. Seriously. Amazing actor. If you don't agree, you clearly haven't seen his work, or are incapable of recognizing talent. This dude is legit. And he brings this character so much depth and menace that he ascends to even footing with Wolvie.

Verdict: It's a popcorn movie, not necessarily a good X-Men movie, but a pretty good comic book movie and worth a rental for some great performances that transcend a weak script.

=====

Terminator: Salvation
Rated PG-13 for flesh-ripping violence and brutal robot mayhem

Just saw this tonight. Loads of fun. Here's the deal for you Terminator fans: It's no Judgment Day. Of course it isn't. T2 will always be the unattainable benchmark for this series. But T:S is better than the other two films. I was discussing this with the guys tonight--it's like the first three Terminator films were the "Judgment Day" trilogy--they all focused on preventing it from happening. In "Salvation," there was no time travel, and the whole film was about the survival of the humans. It was focused squarely on "The Resistance." And that made it less of a "Terminator" movie, perhaps, but also more entertaining as an action movie. Christian Bale is great. He's always great, and he's great in this one. He conveys John Connor's determination to carry this colossal persona and set of expectations, as much as it seems to crush him emotionally. He can't just be a soldier, or a leader; he's got to be "The One." (Similar to Harry's Potter's dilemma, I guess.) But the rest of the cast in T:S is also very capable, including Bryce Dallas Howard, Michael Ironside, and Helena Bonham Carter. (Really? Yes.)

Verdict: Big, loud CGI-fest that allows the director to play in the "Terminator" sandbox. Solid cast, good pacing, and good effects. Worth a rental for Terminator fans, or fans of the genre.

=====

Moon
Rated PG-13 (?) for manly booty and some blood

A man, alone for three years, working a mining job. Can't blame him for starting to see things. Sam Rockwell plays Sam Bell, an astronaut on a mining mission, in this deliberate, beautifully-shot and expertly-directed film. The clear influences are "2001" and films like "Das Boot." The film has a claustrophobic feel at times, as the main action of the story takes place on a single station, a few connected rooms. In this story, Sam is two weeks from going home to his wife and little girl, who he has not been able to talk to (on a "live" feed) in three years. Then he has an accident, and... that's all i'm going to tell you. There's a sentient computer named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey) who is Sam's only company in the station--at least until... but anyway. The big "twist" of the film is revealed pretty early on, but it's not about the twist as much as the unfolding of the information, and how Sam processes it. It's really a great performance by Rockwell, who's becoming an actor I seek out at the cineplex.

Verdict: Good story (even if predictable), fantastic performance, and interesting themes with a lot of subtext worth mulling over. Check it out at the theater or on video, but definitely see it.

=====

(500) Days of Summer
Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content/dialogue, and heartbreak

"This is a story about boy meets girl... This is a story about love--but this is NOT a love story." So saith the narrator in this cleverly-written, playfully-directed, and wonderfully-acted romantic dramedy about a boy and girl and the slippery nature of love and relationships. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are two of my favorite young(ish) actors in Hollywood, and this may be my favorite film for both of them. I will give this a deeply-felt but conditional recommendation: the film deals with love and sex in a pretty frank manner, but without being what I'd consider gratuitous, and the consequences of some of these choices are obvious. Nothing's free and easy here. And that may be one of the best elements of the movie. While there are many fanciful, stylized bits, the emotional core of the film is DEAD-ON realistic. Every decision the characters made actually made sense, based on how they were set up. In other words, there weren't out of character moments, there weren't blatantly contrived rom-com cliches, and the resolution you are given isn't common, but feels earned. I will say it without reservation: I really, really loved this movie. Not everyone will, but many of you could.

Verdict: If you can do so with clear conscience, go see this film, and pay whatever the theater asks of you, because it's worth every penny.

summer

2009-07-30T09:55:00.004-05:00

when summer leaves
you let her go
she wasn't yours to hold
in fingers clenched
like children throwing sand
losing most of it to the breeze

when summer leaves
you can choose to drown
in the sorrow and booze
and avalanche of twinkie wrappers
overwhelming your night table
but you shouldn't do this

when summer leaves
you can choose to replay the film
over and over, dissecting it
to find hints that she was fading
because they were there but
you were too busy singing to see

when summer leaves
you have to put on a brave face
convince yourself and others it's okay
and that you hope she finds happiness
and one day after you start living again
your "hello" will not sound wounded

when summer leaves
you go to the movies
eat tacos with your friends
go to sleep, and when you wake
you start back at day (1)

Hitting the Links

2009-07-28T14:45:00.002-05:00

Here we go:

Today's Big Thing is sometimes great. Why? Stuff like this. And this. It's not always great (or SFW), but sometimes, it is.
Note to Greg Lee, Lynn Thigpen, and the members of Rockapella: Carmen Sandiego has been found.
For the book/list lovers: an annotated list of 61 "essential" postmodern books.
LOST's 15 must-answer mysteries.
Prepare for cute/geeky overload: The Littlest Mega Man. (Will, I expect you to dress your son up like this at some point in his life.)
Speaking of children and nerd-chic, here's an interview with Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker), ten years after the release of Star Wars Episode One. (Ten years? Oof.)
Here's a slice of awesome: an archive photo of the day Daniel Radcliffe met Rupert Grint, before they started filming Harry Potter.
And finally, in the "News that Matters to No One but Me" category, here's an interview with Callum Blue (from the brilliant-but-cancelled "Dead Like Me") talking about his upcoming role on Smallville as Major (not yet General) Zod.

"What a Douglas Coupland-ish thing to blog about."

2009-07-24T09:48:00.003-05:00

I was talking last week with Will about writers who use gimmicks we hate in anyone else's writing but love in theirs. The perfect example, and the one cited in the conversation, was Stephen King's metanarrative in the sixth and seventh books of the Dark Tower series. The author himself enters the story and plays a key role in it, forcing the heroes to rescue him in order to save themselves. In that moment, the story acknowledges that it is a written story, while at the same time insisting on its own reality. (Science fiction folks would default to discussions of "parallel universes" at this point.)

This kind of ploy is transparent and tacky--a pure Eggersism (my own term), which was playful and fun when Dave Eggers pulled it out ten years ago (ten years? jiminy) but has since been ridden into the ground by hipster authors seeking the ultimate in metanarrative nirvana. (And what is blogging, if not an excercise in capturing metanarrative in a belljar?)

Okay. So, today, on the train, I was reading the latest (i think) book by Douglas Coupland, one of my favorite writers. The thing I love about Coupland is that his stories are both common and extraordinary at the same time. He takes quirky, slightly neurotic, but otherwise boring characters, inserts these ridiculous events into their everyday existence, and then lets them react to them. In Douglas Coupland's universe, your 9-5 job at a cubicle farm is destined to be interrupted by a biker gang busting through the door, or a nearby plane crash, or a crazed sibling with one arm running around screaming about the end of the world until your boss hits him with a golf club. And then you get lunch.

SO I started reading "jPod" this week, and I have to say I'm a little...let down. I mean, it's Coupland at his Coupland-est--video game designer, works with 5 other individually-bizarre designers, has a pot-growing mom who beats up and occasionally kills her customers and a wannabe-movie-star slash ballroom-dancing-champion dad. Add Chinese human-traffickers/gangsters, a douche-tastic boss who goes "missing," and a bizarre love story thread, and you've got vintage Coupland.

But the question is: Has Coupland crossed over into self-parody?

The opening line of the book is, "Oh God, I feel like a refugee from a Douglas Coupland novel."

No, really. The characters riff on Coupland's style and characterization several different times throughout the book. At one point, they imply that "Friends" stole its essential idea from Coupland's "Generation X." In another section, they're stuck drinking Zima, and complain that it's a total Couplandism.

The real kicker is when Coupland himself enters the story, on a transcontinental flight with the protagonist, and has an awkward conversation that is capped by a brutally-critical typed note from the writer, declaring how totally jacked-up and self-destructive the protagonist is.

(These things are no less cliched than Stephen King's entrance into Midworld, or his blatant, winking Deus Ex Machina moments in his last DT book. But that was King. And Dark Tower was awesome.)

I freely admit that I'm only about halfway through "jPod" and this could all be intentional on the part of the author as a satire of the self-referential, self-indulgent hipster novels that have flooded the writing scene. But if I give him the benefit of the doubt in this regard, I have to ask: doesn't he sacrifice too much of himself, too much of his own style, in order to make this point? If he is in fact parodying the ridiculous nature of second and third generation metafiction authors, doesn't he offer up his own oeuvre on the sacrificial altar in order to make that point?

I don't know. But I have to say, at this point in the novel, it's starting to turn me off. This may be the first Coupland novel I've read that I just didn't like. And it's unfortunate. (I haven't even gotten into all the annoying diversions he includes--spam emails, random lists of words, whole pages of prime numbers.)

It just feels like he's trying too hard. And he's better than that.

=====

Unrelated: I know, I've been putting off the England accounts. It just feels like that should be done in 3-4 long pieces instead of a lot of little ones, and with all the stuff I've gotten into lately, I haven't really been able to set aside time. However, i fear i'll start losing some of those memories before I pin them down, so I'll get to it soon, for my own benefit as much as for yours. Thank you for your patience.

No jet-lag here.

2009-07-15T12:10:00.002-05:00

I'm back, and reasonably rested after yesterday's long travel day. I'll have much to say about the trip in the coming days and weeks. I'm going to try to type it all out, as much as I can remember, and I'll share it with you in words and pictures as soon as I can.

Right now, however, I need to go to the store and get groceries (as soon as my 500+ pictures finish loading onto the computer). Time to restart real life.

So, for anyone not aware...

2009-07-03T17:56:00.002-05:00

I'm leaving in just over 24 hours for a ten-day mission trip to the UK. We're flying into Heathrow, spending a short time being tourists in London, then taking the rail up to a town called Darlington. There we'll be working with a local Baptist church, doing community outreach, one-on-one street evangelism, just being the hands and feet of Jesus where needed. It all finishes up with a barbeque dinner event next Saturday, and church the following Sunday. On Monday, we'll head west to Manchester, and fly out of Manchester on Tuesday.

When I get back, you can be sure I'll have stories and pictures.

Talk to you kids in a week and a half. Remember always, Jesus loves you.

Peace and grace.

Linky-love Junk Drawer Post

2009-07-02T13:22:00.002-05:00

As I'm leaving the country on Saturday (just over 48 hours--eek!), it's time to drop some crazy linkage on ya.

Broadway spoof of interweb culture? You betcha (even if their swipe at eHarmony was a bit easy/cheap).
Can't. Stop. Clicking.
One of the good outcomes of the death of Michael Jackson is stuff like this, giving new life to his admittedly impressive catalogue.
This report is something I want to look into a little more: dig through the competing biases and find out the truth.
Of course, this sorry lot isn't like your office, just one that you know of. The one down the hall. Yeah, that's it.
Will pointed this story out. I say it's rubbish. Grammar rebels unite!
Shia Lebouf sings a bit of "The Touch" from the animated Transformers movie. Yep.
Llama! (Blame Will.)
I never trusted the Ewoks. Seems that was a good thing.
100 famous movie quotes in 200 seconds.
Most bizarre TV series finales.
Great article about the lessons of Little League baseball.
I play with the Daft Punk console pretty often.
The "missional" code, de-coded. Christians, do this, and show love to people.
If you want to see clips from MTV's famous "Unplugged" series--the best thing MTV ever did--check this out.
If you loved Felicia Day's performance as "Penny" in "Dr. Horrible," make sure to check out her ongoing work on "The Guild." Funny stuff, if sometimes a bit off-color.
So, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville's Lex Luthor) is on Twitter. And loves playing the group-game Mafia. How awesome is THAT.
I'm seeing this on Monday. Yeah, be jealous.

That's it. I'll post at least once more before the weekend. For reals, yo.

Yes indeed.

2009-07-02T10:50:00.001-05:00

I love Adam.

2009-06-25T15:05:00.001-05:00

Ugh, Thursday.

2009-06-25T08:58:00.004-05:00

Took the JibJab down because it was causing too much load-lag. If you missed it, sorry. it was funny.

Can't really talk now. Maybe tomorrow.

In the meantime, I want you to read this article. Because it is my life in so many ways. The first half, especially--I have trouble finding that happy second-half resolution still. Fact is, I'm a lonely, screwed-up, failing disciple these days. And I have a hard time finding time to seek grace. My only hope is for grace to find me, in the midst of my flurry and strife.

And my knees have started giving out. That's not a metaphor, I mean that in a physical sense. This is not good, less than two weeks before an overseas trip.

There you go. That should give you enough to discuss until I can give you more.

Something for the church folks.

2009-06-19T12:48:00.005-05:00

I was starting to emo-hulk-out yesterday on the way home from work for some reason, so to combat the rising tide of self-pity, I opened up my Bible and started reading. I opened to Acts, which I've been reading a bit on and off for the past few weeks, and noticed something cool. Thought I'd share.

=====

Okay, pop quiz: who was the first Christian martyr in the New Testament? Anyone? Anyone?

That's right: Stephen. Remember Steve? Gave this impassioned speech about God's faithfulness and fulfillment of prophecy, and once he got to the punchline--"you Pharisees killed your long-awaited Messiah! Jewish Leadership FAIL!"--they freaked out and stoned him to death.

Here's the bonus question: what was Steven's role in the church? Apostle? Prophet? Preacher, teacher?

Anyone? Bueller?

Check it out. At the beginning of chapter 6 of Acts, the Greek-speaking Jewish believers were upset because their widows weren't getting their fair share of daily provisions, as their full-Jewish counterparts were. The apostles said, get this, "We shouldn't spend our time serving tables instead of preaching, so we'll appoint seven Spirit-filled men to head up this committee." One of the men they picked? Our buddy Steve.

Here's what I took away from this:

First, i don't think the apostles were being jerks here. As a lay-teacher, I know what it's like to be asked to run everything for a group. It's frustrating and tiring, and it takes away some of your energy and passion for your first job, teaching the Gospel. So I can understand the feeling.

Second, what's so interesting to me is that God, in His infinite sense of irony, chose to appoint Stephen the Spirit-filled "waiter" to be the first martyr of the Christian church. It was Stephen who gave the impassioned testimony before the group of Jewish elders. It was Stephen who, as he lay dying, saw the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Father. And it was Stephen's death that was approved of by Saul, who immediately started persecuting the church, until Jesus flipped the script on him on Damascus Road and called him to be the greated Christian missionary of all time.

All starting with the death of a church committee member, who wasn't a teacher or a preacher, but a willing and faithful servant.

So here's what you should take away: God uses all of His children to serve His great purposes. Sometimes those of us who may be seen as the most lowly, or feel like we don't count, are the greatest tools in His mighty hand. If you think to yourself "I'm just a facilities person, I'm just an usher, I only serve food at VBS, I merely hand out the bulletin and greet people on Sunday," you will miss the great and glorious plan that the Father of lights has appointed you to accomplish. Sometimes our sacrifices and services are completely in secret. But we are promised that He who sees what is done in secret will bring all to light and will reward us openly.

So as you go about your business, as you go to church, show respect for the lowly servants around you, those who humbly and willingly do for others. They may be having the greatest impact of us all for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus. And if you are one of these nameless few, faithfully serving week after week, let me say: thank you for your needed and impactful ministry.

Proof that Weird Al Yankovic is a musical genius.

2009-06-16T13:49:00.002-05:00

Weird Al channels Jim Morrison (of The Doors) for this psychadelic tribute to the internet marketplace. While not a specific song parody, it's a dead-on stylistic parody, and makes me very very happy:

Moment of Clarity

2009-06-15T09:09:00.005-05:00

I was in Best Buy, shopping for a Father's Day gift and a CD for myself (Jeff Buckley's "Grace Around the World" CD/DVD), when I came to the video game section. I used to play regularly, but now it's only the odd weekend that I spend an hour or two with my Playstation 2. I have friends who own the current generation systems, and I enjoy/envy those when I'm over at their houses.

The store had a Playstation 3 set up with a 36 or 42-inch flatscreen monitor, and a demo version of "Guitar Hero: Metallica" available.

No kids around, so I picked up the guitar controller and rolled through a Soundgarden song on easy. Pretty awesome. These latest versions of GH/RB actually have the "singer" actually mouthing the words to the song, giving it a much more realistic feel to it. Then, I played "Sad But True" by Metallica, and holy crap, there's James friggin Hetfield ripping through the song, roaring out the words. I kept getting distracted by the amazing visuals, and dropping notes.

I finished my song and thought, man, maybe I ought to save up and get one of these, because that's pretty rad. There was a guy standing next to me, looked to be mid-20s, scruffy around the edges, glasses. I set the controller down, and with a wave toward the screen said, "All yours, bud." I walked around to the other side, where Rock Band was set up, but both controllers were worn out and not responding.

Scruffy poked his head around and said, "Yeah, that one's all messed up." I chuckled, "Yep. Too much love."

I am about to walk away, still considering how I may possibly afford to spring for a new gaming system in the near future, when Scruffy meets up with his friend (Pastey) coming down the aisle toward us. Scruffy then says to Pastey, "So yeah, my mom is buying me a thousand-dollar sound system for my room..."

A sick, stabbing pain hits my stomach. I grab my earlier selections and hastily proceed to the checkout.

That's why you don't get a $500 video game system, Dave. Because you're a grown-up now. Your Scruffy and Pastey days (if you ever had them), are long behind you.

Okay, something happy for this Friday...

2009-06-12T09:58:00.002-05:00

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

How Soon is Now?

2009-06-05T22:26:00.004-05:00

RG asks, how soon is soon? Now, kiddo, now.

Disclaimer: I'm really tired right now. But I want to post, and a few of you want to listen, so I figure, why not oblige you. You're nice folks. But I may be a little loopy or self-indulgent, so your mercy would be appreciated.

This is going to be one of those (in)famous "This is Where I Am Right Now" posts that the kids like to do on the xanga. Things have been tense lately, and I think a little off-loading would be good for me. Whether it's any good for you remains to be seen.

I'll break it down by area of my life, so that it makes some semblance of sense. (That was a joke right there. But not the funny kind.)

Work

My workplace (Big Hospital) has been dealing with the current economic crisis like everyone else. We started building lots of buildings and hiring lots of people, and then when the bottom fell out nationally and our income was overtaken by our outgo, people flipped out. So the "realignment" began. That's the new buzzword, now that "downsizing" is passe. Realignment. They say they're transferring people around to other vital job openings, but from what i hear, this is rare. Mostly people are just getting canned. The fat is being trimmed. Poor, sad, out of work fat.

The tension is palpable on-site. People are on edge, doctors, nurses, researchers, admin staff. Everyone is freaking out a little more, looking over their shoulder a little more. And while i should know better, while I believe and speak about a God who is sovreign over all situations, I still find myself easily getting caught up in the hysteria. Darn this empathy.

It's been a tense couple of months. And today the sword has fallen on two people in my department--no one on my immediate team, but one of the people who got the heave-ho was a friend of mine, one of the few real friends I made outside of my immediate group. And it stinks.

So now, everyone is supposed to breathe a little easier, since our department is under budget and "safe for now." No one trusts it, though. Everyone is worried that out of the blue, we'll get another "we're still in deep mess" email from The Powers That Be, and we'll have to sweat out another round of layoffs, I mean, downsi--I mean, realignments. (It's like Ministry of Truth double-speak, man.)

What stinks is, when I should be standing firm as a light in the darkness, a beacon of hope and peace in the midst of turmoil, I'm letting myself get stressed out and freaked out like everyone else. This is the time my witness of Christ's work should be strongest, and once again, I fail at being salt and light. I'm a lousy disciple, man. Anyway, that's work.

Health

I'm back on the Weight Watchers wagon, for reals this time. I had my "hitting the wall" moment not too long ago, where simple chest pains (indigestion, as it turned out) led to a small panic attack. I'm tired of living in fear that I am, like that Tom Brokaw health video in "Concepts of Fitness" class says, "a walking timebomb, waiting to explode." (Any other OBU alums remember that video?)

So I'm on the diet wagon. I'm gonna wait to get back into regular exercise (gym-ness) until after I return from my trip next month. So I'm just trying to get used to the food plan again. But this is becoming an issue. See, when you have to stick to a strict diet, that's all you think about. I had a moment of frustration today as I realized that my waking thoughts are being consumed, so to speak, by worry over what I can eat and when. And that's just not healthy either. In fact, I seem to remember Jesus saying something about this issue, during some famous sermon. While his context was more worry than dieting, I think the principle can transfer over. Point is, I'm tired of obsessing about food, even if it's obsession over how i should limit my appetites rather than how to indulge them.

Eventually it will get better. I know it will because I've been through this part of the journey before. But I'm in this for the long haul, and I want to find the right mental pace as soon as possible.

Also, and I'll spare you graphic details, my digestive system is struggling to adjust to the new diet and schedule. Things are not happy in GI town. That's all I'm gonna say.

The first week started off strong diet-wise and then imploded almost immediately. This, the second week, has been much better, and I'm staying on point. Week 1, I lost 2 pounds (1.6, but who's counting? ...oh, right, me). I'm hoping to add a legit number to that one on Monday.

And for those curious, yes, the Big Loser Dave blog will be resurrected. Probably Tuesday or Wednesday. We'll see how things are going, schedule-wise.

Love

Would that I had loads of news in this regard. But you reap what you sow, right? And I haven't sown a whole heckuva lot in this area. (That sounds a little off, doesn't it.) Meaning, I haven't been pursuing a more active dating life, so nothing is really happening there. One date in April, with someone I wasn't super-interested in, but still wanted to get to know better. I don't think she was too impressed with me by date's end, but not for any specific faux pas as much as simple illusion-shattering meh-ness.

There were a few other interesting avenues I was considering, but it seems each of those has evaporated. And it's too bad.

I'm gonna be honest, real honest here: I'm lonely. Not in the friends/family sense, but in the companion sense. And I can't shake the fear that it's because I'm not who I should be at this point, that I'm missing opportunities for relationships that would have been good for me. (On the other hand, the whole issue of feeling "unacceptable" and "just not good enough" is one that I've been fighting for a while, because i don't think that it's healthy, at least in the forms I wrestle with. The lie of "never good enough" has kept me afraid and ashamed for much of my adult life.) So as I struggle with this issue, the temptation is to work, work, work to try to be "better," as if "better" weren't a moving target stapled to a rainbow's end. I know (in my head) that I should seek to find contentment being me and focusing on pleasing Jesus with my life, changing what i should for His sake and glory. Doesn't mean that I don't hate being home alone blogging on a Friday night instead of having a social life.

So I go through my days and weeks, ignoring the issue, staying busy. And when the sadness sneaks it, I humor it with music and films for a little while before shoving it back in its box and going on with life.

England

I'm going to England for ten days in July, as part of a church mission trip. After a day and a half of sightseeing in London, we'll take a train up to northern England, and spend the rest of the trip doing street evangelism and personal contact ministry on behalf of local churches. I'm both excited and nervous about this trip. This is my first mission trip, and rather than something easy like manual labor, we're actually going to be *gulp* missional.

As the days get closer, I find myself experiencing more opposition. (I'm not gonna get all "Bob Larson's telephone exorcisms" on you here, but let's be real--spiritual warfare is legit.) I've noticed that not only are my habitual sins and weak areas becoming harder to defend against, but I'm getting hit by all kinds of depressive thoughts. If you know me, you know that I tend toward an often melancholy mindset, and mild depression is not uncommon for me. But it seems that, in the past few weeks since i started thinking about and praying about this mission trip, I'm getting hit with full-on attack in this area. Thoughts of hopelessness, being overwhelmed, being unworthy and unloved. The full gamut. It's been hard to stay afloat this week. Which brings me to...

Emotion

It's clear my coping mechanisms were not working, when i had sudden outbursts of crying while driving down the highway on Monday--not just tears, but actually keening wails. As if my emotional pressure valve blew the seal and the lid blasted off for a few seconds at a time. I mean, it scared me a little bit, this sudden rush of emotion. There was clearly something wrong.

Has it gotten better? To some degree. I mean, I'm still dealing with a lot of the same stuff, but I'm not freaking out. I just feel so very burdened. Like all of this is too much to lift now. And the thing is, I know all the verses and all the doctrinal, theological truths about laying our burdens down at the foot of the cross, and casting our cares on He who cares for us, and all of that. But it's just hard to do in practice, when your workplace is cheery as a morgue, you're dealing with darkness without and within, and you're expected to be this example--the devoted son, the loving brother, the always-dependable employee, the wise and caring Bible study leader and spiritual advisor, the listening and comforting friend, and don't forget you're a follower of Jesus which means you have responsibilities as His disciple and ambassador.

And it's hard to stare down the totality of that list and not think that you're destined to let every single one of these people down. That you're not good enough. Sure to screw up somehow.

It's hard for me, anyway. I know each of you have a list like this. Maybe you handle yours better. Or maybe we're all basket-cases, and I haven't found a good way to hide my crazy yet.

Like I said, I know the spiritual things I ought to do in this situation. I know the platitudes. There are just some nights when it feels like it falls a little short.

Anyway.

This is the part of the show where I'm supposed to assure you that I'm fine, or I'll be fine, or don't worry about me. But tonight, I'll say this: I know I'm gonna be okay because no matter if I don't feel it, I know in my mind and heart that God has never and will never let me go, no matter how big of a complete screw-up i am. And eventually I'll find my even keel and my circadian rhythm in all this uncertainty. But right now, what i need is rest and grace and kindness. And baby, I ain't too proud to beg.

And the next time we chat, I'll probably be embarrassed by this outburst and deny it happened. Or I'll tell you that i was overreacting or being Emo-Dave, and I'll apologize profusely. But don't believe me fully. I'm sure I will think then that I was being a drama queen now, but this is me being honest right here.

Signing off. Gonna read my Bible and go to bed. Talk to you later. I'll be in a better mood next time. We'll talk about something amusing. It'll be nice. Stick around for that.

No, seriously, it will. Soon.

2009-05-29T15:23:00.002-05:00

On the blog-docket: A post about the most famous Bible verse ever, and one about Twittering during church.

In the meantime, as a way to enter the weekend, how about a little...

FRIDAY VIDEO VIEW!!!

Today's "Video View" will focus on a single song and its diverse covers. The song for today is, "Pictures of You" by The Cure. (Stop groaning, I like that song.)

And here...we...go!

The Original:

The (Sort of) Rock Version:

The Dub/Remix Version:

The Electronica Version:

The ...Ukelele Version?!?

Blogging will resume pretty soon.

2009-05-21T16:13:00.003-05:00

In the meantime, I'd like to share with you one of the reasons I love the internet.

Amazon customer reviews can become brilliant comedy.

Seriously, read through them. Great stuff. Some of it may be a little off-color, but i didn't notice anything too offensive.

Thank you, internet. This made my afternoon.

Linky-Love: Best of April Edition

2009-05-04T14:54:00.003-05:00

The 10 best links I've enjoyed in the last month and four days...

Best debut album: Trevor's band's new album. W00t! Fight the Fade!

Best TV Moment: Jeffster!

Best Onion Article: "I know there's a story in there somewhere..."

Best Movie Trailer: "This place has known magic..."

Best News for Neil Patrick Harris fans: Brace yourselves...

Best Newly-Discovered Web Comic: xkcd.com (the linked comic is one of my faves)

Best Swine Flu Info Site: Doihaveswineflu.org At least now we know for sure...

Best Use of a Journey Song: Seriously, worth every second.

...Wow, I can only think of 8. That's sad.

Meh. I'm rusty, gimme a break.

Well you thought you let go, but you're still hanging on...

2009-05-04T09:39:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm back.

Hope you had a good April. Mine was... yeah, it was good, too. In brief: my dad found a job. My job got crazy, and then better. Good times with family and friends. A brief but unnecessary foray into the dating world. God started teaching me a lot of things. I got sick but I don't have swine flu. ...And here we are.

And the big news is, I actually made it through the entire month without blogging or twitbooking. The experience was eye-opening in several ways.

And rather than bloviate about what I learned from the experience, I want to challenge you to do the same thing and find out for yourself. It'll do you good.

Anyway, this is my "checking-in" post. Coming up this week, a concert review (with pictures), a "fave-ten links of April" linky-love post, and maybe some posts of a more personal, spiritual nature. We'll see how the week goes.

Happy Monday, gang. Good to be back.

May God's love be with you...always...

2009-04-01T16:43:00.006-05:00

I guess I should begin with a few disclaimers, to alleviate suspicions and worries.

1. This isn't an April Fool's Joke. Obviously my timing is perfect, but I promise I'm not going to reneg on this tomorrow. Though, as it happens, this came about as I was considering attempting a "quitting blogging" prank.

2. I'm not closing up shop forever. I will be back before you know it. Promise and pinky-swear.

===

Okay, so here's the deal.

I realized that April Fool's Day was approaching, and contemplated pulling a huge, overly-dramatic scam that I was quitting the internet, or at least the blogging world. Maybe I was sick of blog drama. Maybe I was getting in trouble at work. Maybe I had decided to switch my full online focus to Twit/book. Some kind of justification for closing up shop on PBB, before revealing in the comments that it was all a joke.

But the more I considered what I would say in my "final post," the sadder I became. The fact is, I'm likely gonna stop blogging eventually. There will come a point in my life when I'll do more living than commenting, and hopefully when I'll have someone I can share most of this stuff with, so that I don't need to dump all of my inanities onto the online populace. Maybe I won't ever get tired of blogging. But somehow I know that this thing we have, it's gonna change in some fundamental way one day. This made me sad.

I began thinking about why this made me so sad. Obviously this is a question I think about pretty regularly. But my new fascination with Twitter has brought some questions to a head. Namely: why do I (ab)use social networking sites? Is it actually about networking socially? Can you really call a 140-character @statement social?

And, once posing the question to myself, I had to admit that I use these technologies--whether consciously or no--for really narcissistic purposes. I tweet, I "like," I comment because I think I'm clever or have insight, and I want everyone to see that and tell me so. I check back to see if people respond to what I have to say. I wait with bated breath for blog comments.

I'm an insufferable egoist, in other words. And these technologies, however fun and interesting, feed that addiction.

I talked to my friend Amanda about this yesterday (via IM, natch), and she suggested a break. A fast from self-motivated, self-promoting social networking sites. No personal blogging, no Facebook, no Twitter. Maybe commenting on other people's sites, but even that, I'm not so sure about. Because it's still about me. The insistence that what I have to say is valuable, important, or clever.

So I'm out of here for a month. Off the blog grid. Won't respond to TwitBook either. If you want to contact me directly, please do so through AIM or email. If you don't know either of mine, ask around. A little bit of detective work should find them though.

[I just realized I'm going to miss the Fifth Annual Embrace the Lame Day on the 28th. Wow. That hurts. My own fake holiday, that I got strangers from around the world to participate in over the last four years. Ugh. Well, maybe it's just as well.]

I don't know what else to say. Maybe this makes sense to you. Maybe not. Doesn't matter. It makes sense to me.

I'll be back on May 1, hopefully with new insight or at least something edifying to say. From that point on, we'll see how things go.

I love you guys. Yeah, I can say that without having met you. Be good.

One More Linky-Love

2009-03-31T15:32:00.002-05:00

One more for the road.

Want a free membership to the NRA?
Sheep + LED lights = Living Art
It's almost Easter--time for PEEPS!
Rhys Ifans may be joining the cast for the final Harry Potter film. I wonder if he'll have any scenes involving suspect yogurt. (That's a Notting Hill reference, philistine.)
"When they came for my dish detergent, I said nothing..." (Alternate line: "When Cascade is outlawed, only outlaws will use Cascade.")
Today, teleprompter. Tomorrow, Skynet. Just you watch.
A fun video for both Twitterers and anti-Twitterers. (Of course, if you twitter and follow me, you'll have already seen this.)
Related: The lovely Ingrid Michaelson's impromptu song about Twitter.
Jason Segel is working on the newest Muppet movie script, but he already has his critics.
An AIG exec quit a week ago. His resignation letter is here. Good for him.
My favorite version of the classic silent film "Metropolis" is on DVD? Awesome.
Random BSG links: Finale review from Time, TV Guide recap, Ron Moore answers questions, Adama discusses the "Plan"-ned TV movie, cool behind-the-scenes interview with Starbuck, and Ellen Tigh comments pre-finale.
Lex Luthor wants a bailout. (Funny, but with bleeped language.)
Best sandwiches in America? We'll just have to verify this...
For the gamers: Top 25 video game spoilers.
Neat! New source for indie Christian music--IndieHeaven.
Abandoned blog post idea: to copy this article, and change all the references to refer to Guantanemo Bay, just to see what the reaction was gonna be.
I'm celebrating "Record Store Day!" Who's with me? (Conveniently, "Vinyl Edge Records" is just around the corner from me!)
Neat article on indie filmmaking in a rough economy.
Here's an article about "Starbucks spirituality"--reaching out to people in the real world.
Five reasons to study theology.
Am I a Christian hipster? From the looks of it...probably not. Aside from our mutual feelings on Pat Robertson, TBN, and christian kitsch, the hipsters and I seem to part ways on more than a few things. The definition of hipster here seems heavily Emergent-based, and I'm not down with those kids doctrinally. What can I say, i'm old. Put Christian-hipsterism on the "Murtaugh" list for me.
I kinda love this site. Even more than Lark News. Especially for articles like this.
Here's a great word about the current economic climate from Pastor Mark. (Related to this, I heard someone on the radio Sunday night say that this economic downturn could be a great blessing for the Western church because it will help us reorient and recalibrate our understanding of prosperity, giving, and contentedness. I couldn't agree more.)
A really touching article about the tension of holding to a Biblical view of homosexuality while struggling with those desires. Sexual temptation is a sin-nature problem, no matter its form or kind. I believe there are Christians who really struggle with same-sex attraction as part of their old-nature wiring, and it's our job as the children of God to provide love and support to our brothers and sisters in this struggle.
Great article on Bible reading plans for slackers. That's me. It's prolly you too. I'm starting this today.

Men, This is for You (Us)

2009-03-23T15:01:00.002-05:00

Men, this video's over an hour long, but we desperately need this. Sit down, brace yourself, and watch.

End-of-Week Entertainment

2009-03-19T18:43:00.001-05:00

I'll be gone tomorrow, so here's something fun for you to do.

An imagination exercise:

1) Take a poor man's Michael Rappaport.

2) Make him a conservative/libertarian.

3) Make him insane.

4) Make him alarmingly angry and prone to fits of screaming.

The result? You should have something like this guy.

Every video of his I watch, I find myself agreeing to some degree, and still be terribly frightened.

Happy weekend, gang.

Tuesday Video View: Wear Yer Green Edition

2009-03-17T10:51:00.002-05:00

You knew it was coming. But I have to do it. It's like the law of the internet.

(Language warning on this first one, FYI. But i can't NOT use it.)

Weekend Linky Love

2009-03-13T16:24:00.002-05:00

Gotta clear out the links, so some of these may be old--but if you haven't seen them, they're new to you, right?

You may have seen this around Christmastime. I thought it was kinda clever. Watch it all the way through.
Background stories on Muppet characters.
The second member of the band Korn to become a believer. Cool.
Lousy creationist arguments. Hey, at least they're not as bad as the banana video.
This is a fascinating idea. Kiva is an organization that makes micro-loans to businesspeople in developing countries.
J. D. Fortune, the winner of "Rock Star: INXS" and newest frontman for the gr`oup, claimed that the members of INXS left him stranded and homeless at a Hong Kong airport. Now that the band has refuted it, JD is changing his tune.
Seriously, have you listened to the new U2 album? It's really good.
If you've never heard of Jeff Dunham, he's a hilarious ventriloquist, and certainly one of my favorite comedians. Here's a taste. (Some language, FYI.)
Steven Page is leaving Barenaked Ladies? That's a bummer.
A couple of weeks old, but still makes me laugh--a Schoolhouse Rock-themed take on the Porkulus Bill.
New Harry Potter trailer!
New Wolverine trailer!!!
GameDaily presents the 25 worst comic-book video games.
100 TV and movie themes in less than 10 minutes.
Company!
Kermit covers Talking Heads.
From Manders: Heh. Yes, yes we are.
I'm celebrating Record Store Day. Who's with me?
The end of BSG. Time to say goodbye.
Looks like we're waiting a bit longer for Thor, Cap, and the Avengers.
Song of the day: A trippy cover of Madonna's "Borderline" by the one and only Flaming Lips.
A great photo spread from Vanity Fair featuring comedic actors and filmmakers.

And finally, an incredibly moving poem:

On the Subject of Diet (and non-diet) Food

2009-03-11T09:29:00.003-05:00

I'm experiencing a renewed commitment to taking care of myself over the last week or so. I'll tell you more about it later. But in the meantime, I feel I should share with you one of my great weaknesses in the area of cuisine. That way, y'all can pray for me. Or buy me nuggets. Either way.

Ten Signs You Watch Too Much "Battlestar Galactica"

2009-03-10T10:05:00.003-05:00

10. You realized that calling it "BSG" rather than the full name saves you an average of ten hours a week--because you mention it that much.
9. You're simultaneously attracted to and afraid of blonde women in red dresses. (More than normal, I mean.)
8. The words "frakking" and "oh my gods" escape your lips on a regular basis.
7. You size up your coworkers and decide who would be the best CAG in your workplace. (Obviously, it's you, with your clear leadership skills and killer instinct.)
6. Your Facebook profile list of favorite bands includes "Kara Thrace and Her Special Destiny."
5. You've started wearing black tanktops over your tee-shirts.
4. You wrote in "Laura Roslin" on last year's presidential ballot.
3. You cut all the corners off your note paper. And post-its. And books.
2. You end mealtime prayers with "So say we all." And then repeat it, louder and louder, until everyone at the table is shouting it.
1. You write a top-ten list that only a handful of your friends will appreciate, because you're geeking out about only having three more hours of the series, starting with this Friday's episode.

How I'm Doing (Short answer: Better.)

2009-03-09T09:21:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLr8OOunmzo

I've got nothing to give you.

2009-03-05T16:57:00.001-06:00

I'm overwhelmed almost to the point of total mental shutdown. I'm being pulled at and demanded of in every direction, and I'm just drained dry.

I can't do anything for you for the rest of the week, and probably some of the next. Pray for me, those of you who pray.

I'm not the only one / Staring at the sun...

2009-03-03T13:09:00.002-06:00

A radio station in New York is playing 24 hours of U2 today. You should listen. Because they are awesome.

I'm busy today, making up for yesterday's day off, but I'll try to drop some links on you over the next day or so. Take it easy, gang.

Sunday night. Eleven thirty-three.

2009-03-01T23:32:00.002-06:00

Another bleary-eyed post? Sure, why not.

I didn't ask the woman to coffee. I had an opportunity, but hesitated. And we all know what happens to he who hesitates.

He plays online scrabble with friends on late Sunday nights. (t's a blast, but still.)

...

I suddenly want to write really sappy love poetry. Something about missed chances. But not the one you're thinking about--I'm now inspired by something else, something i've felt for a while now. I'll spare you the bother of reading it; it wouldn't have been very good, I would have overshared or made it too obviously about the person who would have inspired it, and I would have eventually been embarrassed and taken it down. I'm cutting out the middle man, here, people. For you. Everything I do, I do it for you. Just like Bryan Adams.

Point being, I sometimes long for the fork in the road i chose not to take, seven years ago. But who knows how life now would have been different if that particular butterfly had fluttered by in a different way. A different sneeze, a different stampede. A different Dave.

So i don't wish I could change the past. Just the present. Just the present.

("So why don't you?" Dave's insane married friends say, in low-lit spots around the stage.)

Too many impracticalities. Plus, if I just outright told this person, "Look kiddo, my future is still up in the air, I know i'm not much to look at and my very best quality may just be my ability to make you laugh, but no matter what, I'm fairly confident in the fact that I'm in love with you, and want to make you happy for the rest of my natural days," if I said all that, I'd be met with embarrassed laughter, and a swift rebuttal which would dropkick my bruised ego back to the farthest corners of the friend-zone. Might as well just stay right here and mull.

Just cutting out the middle-man here.

This post doesn't seem as upbeat as the last one. Apparently lack of sleep isn't the leading factor in blog-optimism.

Geez, sometimes these blogs are the textual equivalent of drunk-dialing. Better go before I start naming names.

Goodnight, internets. Tomorrow will be better, I promise.

Saturday night, three thirteen.

2009-03-01T03:12:00.002-06:00

I'm waiting for my clothes to finish agitating--rather the machine to finish agitating--so i can toss my jeans in the dryer and get a few hours of sleep. I'm tired and worn out--what better time to blog?

Today was good. Five hours of discussion/notes about singles ministry/Sunday school. A few hours of lesson prep, a few hours of sitcom watching. Three hours of retro-skate. Almost three hours in a booth at Denny's with my three favorite people from church.

Which brings us to now. Listening to the washer drum spin. The feet are uneven. It makes noise and moves a bit each time I do a load of laundry.

I'm happy--well, maybe not happy, maybe that's not the right word--I'm pretty content with my life as it stands. Sure, work's stressful. Sure, I'm still fat and single. But God is awesome. And every day, I'm reminded of how much I've been given, and the love I have for people in my life.

So here's to you, missus robinson. Jesus loves me more than I can ever know, and each day, I see new aspects of it.

Each time I sin, and repent, I find new mercies. New grace. The Gospel is just as true for me now as ever.

[The washer just stopped. I'm not done.]

I don't know what the next year holds. But I'm ready for what comes. As ready as I'll ever be. I want to be part of God's mission in the world. So we'll see.

What's on the horizon? Tomorrow, I'm gonna ask a woman at church if she wants to get coffee sometime. Next weekend, I'm going to again try out for "The Biggest Loser." I also may see "Slumdog Millionaire" again.

Of those, only the movie is a sure thing. Go see it, it's really good.

I'm rambling now. But it is, after all, three twenty in the morning. Sunday morning coming down.

Time for 4 and a half hours of sleepy sleep. Goodnight my dear friends. I love you. God loves you. His love is bigger than mine.

What I'm Super Excited About This Week

2009-02-26T10:32:00.000-06:00

Ashes to Ashes.

2009-02-25T10:31:00.004-06:00

Today is a day of repentance in many forms of the Christian faith. While my Baptist upbringing doesn't include a formal celebration of this solemn event, I always feel compelled to commemorate it.

Today, I repent.

Father, I repent of my anger. My short temper, my impatience. I repent of seeing other people as distractions, obstacles, and bit players in my movie. I repent of my harsh words, coarse language, cutting sarcasm. I repent of my occasional violent imaginings, when I daydream about punches thrown and brutality inflicted in the name of "justice" or "getting even." I repent of hating my brother, and killing him in my heart. I repent of cursing my enemies, those whose faces I don't know and those who I do.

These are sins. Father forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

Father, I repent of my pride. I repent of being arrogant about my intellect, my talents, my ability to move people with words. I repent of not being more willing to associate with those of "low" position, knowing that You are a friend to the lowly. I repent any attempt to make myself and my name greater than the name of Jesus. I repent of seeing my life as "my" life, and not as the life you have given me so that I may worship You and give you honor.

These are sins. Father forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

Father, I repent of my greed. I repent of being greedy for material possessions, even if my greed isn't for the newest and best, but simply for more than I can enjoy. I repent of spending too much money on entertainment, as if my income were mine alone. I repent of living outside of my means, and not being faithful in the last few months to bring the whole tithe to your storehouse. This lack of faith was born out of my undisciplined spending, and I'm sorry.

These are sins. Father forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

Father, I repent of my gluttony. The fruit of this sin is most apparent. I haven't stewarded my body in the way you have commanded. Instead of making it my slave, I have become its slave, and too much of my efforts and resources go to feed it. Further, I repent of my gluttony in other areas: the lack of self-control that makes good things destructive to me. I repent of spending so much time on myself and my own amusement that other things go to the wayside. I repent of living an often-disordered life.

These are sins. Father, forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

Father, I repent of my slothfulness. The brother-sin to gluttony, a cousin to greed. Father, I am lazy. I don't rule my household well, I don't care for the things you have entrusted to me, and I give in to the temptation to give less than my best at my job. I put things off, and sometimes let other people take care of projects and responsibilities that are rightly mine. When the time comes to work, I'd rather fold my hands to rest, and risk the poverty that comes on the sluggard like a thief.

These are sins. Father, forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

Father, I repent of my lust. My wandering eyes, my wayward heart. The sins of mind and flesh. I've lost sight of my first love, and gone after other, lesser lovers. I've forgotten that Jesus was a 33-year-old single man who lived a celibate, sinless lifestyle. It's His example I follow in this season of my life. I repent of my mental adultery, my rebellion, my disregard of the Spirit's warning voice as I sometimes seek to walk in the flesh rather than in the Spirit.

These are sins. Father, forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

Father, I repent of my envy. I repent the jealousy I feel toward those who have better jobs, who have wives, children, success, good looks, and all the other good things I desire but don't have the patience or faith to wait for, the willingness or determination to work toward, or the peace to release to Your Will. I repent the ill feelings I catch myself having toward those who appear more "together" or "blessed" than I do. I repent my sometime unwillingness to rejoice with those who rejoice. I repent my self-pity.

These are sins. Father, forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name.

For all these things and many more, gracious Father, I repent.

===

And then I rejoice in the freedom you give me, in Jesus' name, by Jesus' blood, for Jesus' glory.

When I confess my sins, you are faithful and just to forgive me my sins, to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Jesus became sin for me, so that I could become the righteousness of God.

Almighty God, by your great mercy, you cast my sins away as far as the east is from the west, and remember them no more.

I am one who the Son has set free. I am free indeed.

Praise Jesus. Praise Lord Jesus.

Happy Pancake Tuesday!

2009-02-24T16:57:00.003-06:00

Today's Mardi Gras, but across the pond, it's also referred to as Pancake Tuesday.

According to Wikipedia:

"The festival is widely associated with the eating of foods such as pancakes, and often known simply as Pancake Day, originally because these used up ingredients such as fat and eggs, the consumption of which was traditionally restricted during Lent. ...In the United Kingdom, Shrove Tuesday is often known colloquially as Pancake Day or Pancake Tuesday. The traditional pancake is slightly thicker than a French crêpe. It is served immediately after preparation and was traditionally served with a meat-based stew, although in modern times a sprinkling of granulated sugar (fine sugar in the United States), or caster sugar (superfine sugar in the United States), and lemon juice has become more common. Many other sweet and savoury toppings are used today (for example, in Canada pancakes are often served with maple syrup or preserves)."

So, in honor of the day, IHOP is giving away free pancakes and raising money for charity.

I'm very excited about this, and will visit them as soon as I leave.

...But I just have to be careful not to get TOO excited.

Worst. Protest. Ever. And the funniest thing I've seen/heard all week...

2009-02-24T09:21:00.004-06:00

This is...wow, this is fabulous. I'm dyin' over here. [UPDATE: Whoops. Forgot to credit Rob at Say Anything for this one.]

The scene: NYU. A student group is protesting...something. Demanding budget disclosure, something about the food plan, scholarships for Palestinians, really a grab-bag of "progressive" talking points.

So this group of dozens barricaded themselves in the cafeteria building for three days.

On the third day, the school had had enough. The video is posted here. (Warning: some language--big shock, right?)

Oh. Man.

If you made it a drinking game, taking a shot at all of the PC-buzzwords and "conflict resolution" language, you'd make it maybe five minutes.

I have to give credit to the university representative. If this punk kid had looked me in the eye, and told me that they were going to decide if they accepted my demand to show ID, I would have lost it. You don't have a chip to bargain with, Skippy.

And I about died when, as their time to "deliberate" and find "consensus" is dwindling, the person filming actually says, "okay, who can act as facilitator here?" SERIOUSLY? You're about to be led away by the campus police, and you're wanting to facilitate a consensus discussion to make sense of it all.

What's so amazing about this video is the illusion of rights or bargaining power. Nevermind the fact that, as a student, you are paying for the privelege of attendance. Nothing is owed, nothing is promised. And if you violate the rules--if you RIOT and BARRICADE a public university building--you get the consequences. It's like, the children of the Vietnam protesters learned all of the buzzwords but none of the responsibility. People then realized that sit-ins and protests meant facing jailtime, facing repercussions. The idea was that through ACCEPTING the punishment, they would achieve change by the INJUSTICE done to them. That's how MLK did it, and it worked. Was MLK surprised or offended when he was taken to a Birmingham jail? No. He accepted it and transcended it. That's how victory through protest is achieved.

Now, it's like protesters are SHOCKED when their actions and choices result in punishment or intervention. They're angry? Really?!?

I wish i could sit down with this guy and his compatriots, in a civil manner, and say, "What do you think you deserve? What do you think you are owed?" After he rattles off a list of "rights," I would then take a breath, to keep from laughing, and continue.

"Why? What have you done to deserve that?"

And I'd be willing to bet my paycheck (know what that is, kids? that thing you go work to earn?), when i ask him that question, I'd be met with a total deer-in-headlights stare.

Oh, and what I'm now reading? The guy who took the video--not even a student at NYU.

===

Here's another account of the protest and sit-in. I like the title.

===

On the other hand, this disturbs me. Why hasn't the media been reporting this?

Oh, right. Oscars.

Following on the heels of the previous post...

2009-02-23T17:57:00.001-06:00

[hat-tip: Manders]

No Fade on the Horizon: The official PBB Breakdown of U2's "No Line on the Horizon"

2009-02-21T18:05:00.002-06:00

I listened to U2's last album, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," while I was doing some household chores this afternoon. It was and continues to be one of the best albums I've ever owned. A desert-island, top-five selection. I wasn't too far off the mark when I wrote my review of that album back in 2004. If anything, I've come to appreciate it more.

[Full disclosure: There are some things I'm predisposed to like, some writers, musicians, actors that I'm admittedly in the tank for: Stephen King, Orson Welles, Nathan Fillion (c'mon, he's friggin MAL). U2 is a band I'm naturally predisposed to. So I'm gonna work at being even-handed here. But I just want to get this out of the way. I'm a fan. Get over it.]

So how does the band's latest offering stack up? Let's take it track by track:

1) No Line on the Horizon
I have to admit, the first time I heard this track, I wasn't as impressed. But the second or third time, I started to anticipate the title/refrain, and later caught myself humming it throughout the day. This is a hard-driving rocker, and it will be a blast in concert, especially when the crowd sings the refrain with Bono. And the bridge, when Bono just lets loose with the long "whoa's" is lovely. Anytime Bono gets to flex the vocal chops is welcome. Thirty years later, he's still got it.

2) Magnificent
Another track that I didn't take to right away. It begins with the vaguely "Achtung"-like intro of drums, before sprinting into the vocals and guitar-riff that seem pulled off of Side 2 of "Joshua Tree." But the real reason this song works for me is the lyrics--which I missed on the first few passes. Here's verse two: "I was born to sing for you/I didn't have a choice/To lift you up and sing whatever song you wanted me/I give you back my voice/From the womb (?) my first cry/It was a joyful noise." This one will end up in your neighborhood "U2-charist" service. A praise song if I've ever heard it.

3) Moment of Surrender
This song, I fell in love with immediately, partly because it both sounded like U2 and...didn't. There's an ethereal quality to the instrumentation that reminds me of David Bowie's recent work. And the vocals. Wow. There's such passion in Bono's keening. The organ swelling behind him recalls gospels, spirituals, a feeling magnified by the harmonies on the chorus. As I listen, I find myself contentedly closing my eyes and rocking back and forth to the steady beat of the drum. And there are these claps thrown in. That's great. The Edge's sliding guitar solo is smooth and beckoning. The song is more than seven minutes long, and it doesn't seem like enough. The repetitions, key changes, additions and subtractions of intruments keep it fresh until the final chord is strummed, and you get to breathe again.

4) Unknown Caller
Slow build on the guitar intro, as the melody peeks its head out into the open. Then the chords, the heartbeat of the toms, the chorus of "whoas." The song follows the standard U2 formula until the chorus, which is, oddly, choral. Unison, forceful, compelling. Another singalong for the concert. The song builds and builds, as the guitars give way to an organ and french horn, which give way again to The Edge's deft solo. The guitar, along with the organ, fade us out.

5) I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
The only track I'm just not crazy about, oddly enough. The falsetto rings false. The lyrics are kinda simplistic, as are the rhyme schemes. It's like they were trying to construct a youth anthem full of idealism and optimism, but they're neither youthful nor idealistic. The only saving grace of the song is the "baby baby baby" interlude, which feels like it belongs in a much better song. I mean, look, the song isn't "Miami"-bad, but it's just not great. A mis-step, one of few.

6) Get on Your Boots
The first single. Like the last "first single," "Vertigo," it's pretty divisive. Among my circle, some loved it, and some hated it. Vertigo grew on me over time. Same with GOYB. The verses are okay, though the cadence reminds me too much of Larry Norman's "Reader's Digest," in cadence. But the chorus is keen. And the bridge. "Let me in the sound, let me in the sound, sound." Definite crowd-pleaser. This one will cause an earthquake of bouncing fans at every concert performance.

7) Stand-up Comedy
This one is all about the Edge's riff and Adam's bass. The lyrics aren't that exciting, though there are a couple lines I really like ("Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas"). There are some songs that I don't dig when listening with headphones or at the office, but which pass the "truck test." This may be one of those songs that need to be blasted full-volume at 70mph on a highway in order to be appreciated.

8) FEZ--Being Born
Then there's this bizarre and awesome interlude that combines snatches of other songs (like GOYB) and remixes them into a strange electronic track. Strongly reminds me of Mr. Bungle, actually. Then it switches gears completely and becomes essentially the prototypical U2 song. It's like the embryonic stem cell of U2 music, bearing all the elements that they use to make their albums. The same vocal pieces, the same guitar strums, the same use of key changes. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just funny. If you want to "get" the U2 sound, listen to the second half of this track, which in many ways unravels the band's musical DNA.

9) White as Snow
When I first listened to this track, I sensed a subtle homage to cowboy music, with the acoustic guitar picking. It felt like a campfire song. I can just see Bono picking this one, straw cowboy hat atop his head. Then as I listened something started to bother me. I recognized it, but couldn't place how. Finally, I realized that there's the faintest hint of "O Come, O Come Immanuel" in the melody, plus a few key changes. But the lyrics are what get me. He sings of needing a lamb as white as snow. The song seems to be about redemption, a theme fitting the musical allusion above.

10) Breathe
Another great rocker. The lyrics border on gibberish, but I still enjoy Bono spitting them out. The momentum of the song makes me sway immediately as I listen. Again, another chance for Bono to open up his voice a bit. There's a bit of the Beatles in the inside-out logic of the rhyming lines. (Manders mentions Bono's turn as "Dr. Robert" in the Beatles-inspired film "Across the Universe"; yeah, I definitely hear that.) But this song, at its heart, is just a great track for each of the band members to flex their muscles a bit. It could be a lot of fun live.

11) Cedars of Lebanon
The final song on the album. A brooding, desolate sounding song (quite a contrast to the soaring "Yahweh"). When the verse begins, I am momentarily reminded of Kevin Max's "Alas My Love" from DCTalk's "Supernatural" album. A coincidence, of course, but funny to me. The lyrics speak of love lost, remembrance, longing, and then turn toward more political imagery, soldiers and tanks, children drinking dirty water in war zones. The titular cedars of Lebanon are an image in the Bible of strength and perserverance. This may weigh into the interpretation of the song; a love that lasts? a people who withstand constant war? a heart that refuses to surrender to the darkness around it? Not sure. The final lines are haunting: "Choose your enemies carefully because they will define you/Make them interesting because in some ways they will mind you/They're not there in the beginning, but when the story ends/Gonna last with you longer than your friends."

===

That's it. Eleven tracks.

Final judgment? There are a few weak spots, but overall a great album and a great exhibition of a band who, after thirty years, are as talented as ever. Not as experimental as some may like, but the band has stayed true to itself and its sound, and as a fan, I'm pretty happy with that. I may end up adding a half-point or more after listening to it in the truck, but right now, I'm pretty satisfied to give it:

8.0 out of 10

The CD hits the street March 3 (here in the States). Be sure to pick your copy up. I know I will.

I got better.

2009-02-20T12:02:00.001-06:00

I'm getting better, at any rate. This week, however, has gotten worse. But I'm not going to talk about it.

I just wanted to say, hang in there, thanks for checking in with me. And as long as I don't go crazy and throw my desk out the window this afternoon, at some point in the evening I'll post my song-by-song reaction to the new U2 album.

You know, this one streaming online right now.

Brain-sludge Blog

2009-02-17T16:51:00.003-06:00

Stuff that's in my head:

I'm so abominably sleepy. I went to bed at 10pm and that doesn't seem to have come close to cutting it. Seven hours of sleep! Quit being a baby, Dave. So i've been a zombie all day.
This month's adventure in lazily not-budgeting has met with predictable "success." Broke-ness for the next few days, with an unpaid bill or two to be shuffled to the next paycheck.
After two days of my foot feeling much better (thank you, painkillers and 'spensive shoes), today it's acting up again.
This has become a whining post, apparently.
I've got a lot of work to do. SO much to do. And I'm so totally overwhelmed by it, to the point of complete apathy. This is evidence of latent self-destructiveness.
I had a dream last night that I kissed a person who, over the past few years, has often been an antagonist of mine. And the thing is, it wasn't a passionate, sexy kiss. It was the end of a long day, we were riding together in someone else's car, and she just turned to me, looked me in the eyes, smiled, and kissed me. And it was really nice. For a whole host of reasons, it's a good thing this didn't happen in real life, but it did make me sad that I haven't had a moment like that in several years.
I really was good with the whole V-Day thing, until I watched "Company." Which was a beautiful show, and I want to pick up the DVD at some point. But it made me look around at my slightly-cluttered yet empty apartment and think, "This is so freaking depressing."
About 17% of the time, I'm in love with a girl who will never love me back. This frustrates me too, but not as much as you'd think. The feeling comes and goes, like a bruise that rarely gets bumped into.
The post has now changed from a "general whining" post to a "whining about being single" post. Well done, Dave.
I think I'm gonna shut this down before it gets any worse. Goodnight, Gracie.

Someone is waiting...

2009-02-17T09:57:00.001-06:00

Economics Oversimplified? Or Just Too Simple?

2009-02-13T16:05:00.004-06:00

I have so much to do, but dadgummit, I really need to unload this.

On the morning drive to the bus stop, I usually listen to local talk radio. They're discussing the porkulus bill, when a caller named Kevin (i think) calls in and makes the following argument:

The two biggest earmarks of the Senate version of the bill were made by Republicans.

He was asked what those earmarks were. His answer--tax-cuts. And he then tried to use this to say that the Republicans were being hypocritical because their earmarks are just as bad as the Democrats' frisbee-golf courses and ATV trails they're buying for millions of dollars.

If I hadn't have been about to get out of my car, I would have called in (an unheard-of thing, for me), and said the following:

The difference is that tax cuts do more to stimulate the economy than hand-outs, and stimulating the economy is pretty much the point of the STIMULUS bill, isn't it?

Let's massively oversimplify this, so that it's in terms we can grasp. Say the stimulus bill was for... $35 dollars, and it has two parts. A $20 outlay to buy Kevin a pizza, and a $15 tax cut for me.

So at the end of the day, Kevin has his pizza. And we're not talking just any pizza--we're talking Fuzzy's Pizza or Barry's Pizza, one of the higher-end pizza establishments in the Greater Houston Area. Good pies. REAL good pies. So Kevin has his pizza, and I have $15 more dollars in my paycheck.

Well, now, my yard needs to be mowed. So I pay the neighbor kid $10 dollars, and use the other $5 to buy myself lunch at Burger King.

So Kevin has his tasty pizza, which he could eat and be full, but the rest starts to get cold. Meanwhile, I have created 1 new job (however temporary), and still had money to put into the local economy.

BUT it doesn't stop there. Because the neighbor kid takes the $10, buys a $5 comic book at Bedrock City Comics, and uses the other $5 to buy a sundae at Cold Stone.

So now, Kevin maybe has his enjoyable pizza leftovers, still cold, and I have created a job, bought lunch for myself, and the neighbor kid has invested in two sectors of the local economy HIMSELF.

But it doesn't stop there! Because the comic shop uses the five they gained, minus expenses, to help make the next purchase of stock, which provides more income downstream.

Now, you may say to me, "Dave, the same could be said for Kevin's pizza company." And this is true, to an extent. But if the government bought Kevin a highly-overpriced pizza, from a union-run pizza shop, the amount of downstream prosperity is much more limited. The costs are too high, and the government purchaser is too stupid to look for a better deal. (Maybe they have promises to keep to one of the pizza unions, and their hands are tied.) The government could have said, "Hey Kevin, here's twenty bucks, buy yourself a pizza." Kevin could have taken that money and bought a cheaper pizza, pocketing the rest. If Kevin were an enterprising young man, he could even have bought several frozen pizzas, cooked them himself, sold them by the slice, and made a profit.

The question then becomes: Who has the best chance of using the allocated money in such a way that the economy is better off as a whole?

According to John Kerry, the government does, because no one knows how the private citizen will spend their own money. He is concerned that Americans won't invest in the same projects the government wants them to. And he's right--I couldn't give a flyin' flip about a frisbee-golf course I'll never see. But Kerry, and others in Congress like him, don't want to give the American consumer the freedom to spend this money--OUR money--on what WE want to. He sees it as the government's money, and thinks it should be the wisened heads of Congress who make that call.

*tap tap tap* Is this thing on?

It's all about CONTROL, folks. That's what this all comes down to. Control. Who's in charge of OUR money. Who makes decisions about OUR livelihoods. The government, in this instance, isn't the least concern about being "of the people, by the people, for the people" ['who came up with that old line?' 'aw, some guy born 200 years ago!']. Instead, in spite of the will of the people, Congress has decided that they need to take OUR tax dollars and spend them without our consent.

It's about control, Kevin.

Class dismissed.

Feeling like a Twit.

2009-02-12T11:15:00.003-06:00

I've given in to the madness that is Twitter.

I've resisted it as long as I could, because there are any number of good reasons why no one needs ANOTHER "status update" program to keep up with.

But in the end, meh. Whatever.

=====

The whole idea of "followers" weirds me out a little, though.

Immediately, my mind goes to the mildly-sacriligious visual joke of Jesus having a Twitter page with nothing but a "Follow Me!" button.

Imagine the conversation that could have occured in the Gospels...

TheMessiah: I'm heading to Jerusalem, and they're gonna kill me. Who's in?

BigFishPete: @TheMessiah are you sure about that? You're not too popular there. But don't worry, we'll never let you die.

TheMessiah: @BigFishPete Get behind me, Satan.

PhillyHebrew: @BigFishPete oh, SNAP.

TheMessiah: @PhillyHebrew Phillip...

PhillyHebrew @TheMessiah Sorry, Lord.

TommyDoubtsIt: @BigFishPete What's the matter, Peter? Scared? I say we head there and all go down together.

BigFishPete: @TommyDoubtsIt Who are you calling scared, twinkie? That's it, you and me, third watch, by the withered fig tree.

HeyJude: Okay, I'm giving 3-1 odds on Thomas to pull the upset. Who's taking?

TaxMatt: @HeyJude Gimme two drachma on Pete.

HeyJude: @TaxMatt Done. There's a five shekel convenience fee, also.

TaxMatt: @HeyJude Seriously? Ugh. Not cool, man.

ThunderJohn: @ThunderJames ...Compared to this lot, we are *so* the greatest.

ThunderJames: @ThunderJohn No kidding.

Linky-Love: Better Things to Do Edition

2009-02-10T18:44:00.002-06:00

What? Do my work right now, rather than a blogpost? Bosh.

Here's your Valentine news of the day: Lisa Loeb got married. The 90's-era indie-slacker inside me just shed a quiet, montage-backed tear. And then went back to riding his own melt.
Do we even look like the kind of store that sells "I Just Called to Say I Love You"?!? Go to the mall.
Don't know if I posted this yet, but it's funny (no matter your politics). [H-T: Manders.]
Ben Stein's smart.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Malkin was right--it really was "Bush Derangement Syndrome."
Define irony.
Ninja parades--about as successful as mime-choirs.
Vanity Fair's photo shoot of Oscar Nominees. Good shots.
Is it just me or does this Time author just sound bitter for being left out? Claire, next time, I promise to tag you.
After his much-publicized meltdown, Christian Bale shows a good deal of class. Well-done, Batman.

Enjoy!

PBB Capsule Video Reviews: 55-Word Edition

2009-02-09T16:18:00.004-06:00

epI've watched several movies in the last few weeks, and haven't really had a chance to review them for you guys. They say the most powerful writing is sometimes the most precise, so as an exercise in precision, I present the following 55-word (or thereabouts) reviews of recent videos I've watched. Apologies for those of you who enjoy the longer-form reviews. Hope you dig it anyway.

===

Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married?"
A parental recommendation. Darker than expected, with fewer laughs than cringes. Plot: four couples whose vacation together unearths a lot of secrets. Some marriages survive, but not all. Not a horrible film, but I'm certainly not putting it in my favorites list. Perhaps married people appreciate it more. If you like Perry's films, rent it.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Liked parts, but overal too uneven. (Chuck hated it; I disagree about Kat's looks.) Cera and Dennings were fine, though the plot warranted older characters. Not enough magic, and too much low humor. Had higher expectations, but was disappointed. Instead, rent Garden State or Juno (both had some crude material but neither felt cheap/shallow).

Interstella 5555
An hour-long anime film, set to the music of Daft Punk. The "story" is told through images and music; no dialogue. An interstellar rock band is kidnapped, brainwashed, and mass-marketed by a mogul with evil motives. Surprisingly moving, with great music and emotive artistic design. It's in my Amazon wish-list. Rent it now.

Appaloosa (Updated after further consideration)
Western that suffers greatly in comparison with modern classics like "Tombstone." Ed Harris writes, directs, stars. Viggo Mortenson, Renee Zellweger, Jeremy Irons also star. Usual tropes: brave lawman, evil rancher, power struggle, railroad showdown. Add a frustrating and unsympathetic female opportunist. Stir, then end abruptly. Some good cinematography, decent performances. Nonsensical characterization left me cold.

An American Carol
I laughed twice.

(...What, you want more?)

Should have been MUCH better. Set "right-wing" satire back by a millenia. If I had seen it before the election, I would have voted for Nader out of sheer protest. Nothing more to add.

Ghost Town
A refreshingly funny romantic comedy that follows and subverts the formula. It's an "I see dead people" comedy with a good heart and clever script. Ricky Gervais is golden. The trailer made it look horrible; ignore the trailer. Best rom-com I've seen in years. Tea Leoni and Greg Kinnear do nicely. Rent it for Valentine's Day.

The Wackness
I love Josh Peck's Nickelodeon sit-com "Drake and Josh." I kinda hated this film, though I admit he did well. Story of a high-schooler who deals drugs for college money, gets his heart broken. Bleak, depressing, frustrating. A better child-star's-gritty-breakout-movie is "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" staring Shia LeBouf.

Charlie Bartlett
If Matthew Broderick were still 18, it'd be his picture. Combination romantic teen comedy and light satire of adolescent over-medication. I enjoyed this much more than i expected to, but it's not without problems. Robert Downey Jr. makes a mediocre vice-principal role interesting and empathetic. Fans of teen dramedies and after-school specials will appreciate this.

Chaos Theory
Unexpectedly-involving Ryan-Reynolds movie that starts out silly before sucker-punching you with human drama. Story of a cautious man who contemplates living recklessly and embracing "chaos." Themes include lies, consequences, and commitment. This one made me groan "oh, dude" more than once. Guess that makes this a recommendation. Watch out for some "content," but consider it.

Son of Rambow
Interesting British film about friendship between two schoolboys who bond over the love of filmmaking. They decide to make an action movie sequel to Rambo, and things go awry. Cute film, some fun sequences. The "oppressive religion" themes were eventually tiresome. Not quite as charming as I hoped, but not a waste of two hours, either.

and in case i haven't discussed it before...

Wristcutters: A Love Story
Bizarre but thoroughly enjoyable fable about love beyond death. In a bleak post-industrial limbo inhabited by "successful" suicides, three acquaintances go on a road trip to find lost love and answers to questions about their fate. Great cast, darkly funny script. Best Patrick Fugit performance since "Almost Famous." Plus, Gogol Bordello in the soundtrack.

Evidence of God's Grace: Health

2009-02-09T14:38:00.003-06:00

Despite being 200+ pounds overweight, my BP is 120/80 and my cholesterol sits at 200. The HDL and triglycerides are a tad high, but other than that, I'm good. No diabetes, no problems of any kind (other than the tendon issues in my foot).

So, in other words, despite my best foolishness to do otherwise, God has kept me alive and in good health long enough for me to come to my senses, commit to get healthy, and add years back to my life.

Post-Mortem on Smallville episode 8.14 "Requiem"

2009-02-07T17:09:00.003-06:00

(This won't mean anything to all but three of you, but humor me.)

So I've been asked what I thought of this week's Smallville. I've given it a bit of thought.

I'm...conflicted.

I wasn't pleased when I first heard that Lana was coming back for a 5-episode arc. While her exit at the end of Season 7 was abrupt and under-explained, for the first nine and a half episodes of this season I felt like I was finally watching the Superman show I had been hoping for all along. Clark was working with Lois at the Daily Planet (and they were growing closer), he faced enemies, he rescued citizens using a "secret identity" (or at least, an obscured one). It felt like the showrunners were letting Clark become the man he is destined to be. So the announcement of Kristin Kreuk's return as Lana was unwelcome to say the least.

When we didn't see too much of her for the first few episodes, I breathed a sigh of relief. The first three episodes--Bride, Legion, and Bulletproof--were fantastic hours of TV. They followed the Superman mythos, created some really great character moments for Clark, and fleshed out his renewed commitment to serving the people around him. Then the end of Bulletproof brought us a Clana moment, where Clark utters the final line of the episode: "What about what we want?"

You hear that noise? That's half a season of character growth imploding.

Then there's "Power." Lana steals information about Lex's attempts to return via life-support suits and nanotech. The whole idea of Lana being as good a hacker as Chloe is something I've gotten used to, though it still make sense. Then she convinces Dr. Grohl to allow her to adopt the technology Lex has designed, giving her superhuman powers. The episode ends with she and Clark on the roof, where she tells him he doesn't have to worry about her anymore, because now they're equals.

Excuse me?

Nevermind that Lana has a history of, oh, extortion, torture, murder, destruction, bloody vengeance, and selfishness. While Clark has finally started growing out of his immature self-interestedness to develop a moral code that involves intentionally avoiding killing (even his enemies) and sacrificing himself for the greater good.

No, sweetie, you're not equals. Not by a long shot.

Which brings us to "Requiem." And we begin with Clark and Lana engaged in some super-"Business-Time" that destroys what appears to be...well, it appears to be the Kent family bed. Clark was sleeping on a smaller bed several years back, so unless he's replaced the bedset in the master bedroom, this is the same bed his parents shared before his father's death (incidentally, caused by Clark's bullheaded insistence on changing fate to save Lana).

Take a minute and think about that. Better yet, don't.

Meanwhile, as Oliver strides in to tell the LuthorCorp board of directors that he's just taken over, a bomb goes off killing everyone but him. The bomber (a character known to the DC universe as The Toymaker) is a disgruntled former employee. Oliver knows he's working for Lex, and tries to track him down without Clark's help. Ollie wants revenge.

Okay, here's my second problem with this episode, really with the show's writing for the last year: Ollie's not much of a hero anymore. He's a vigilante.

I'm not as up on his history and mythology, so i don't know how true to character that is. But it's ticking me off. He's set up as an equal to Clark, a hero setting wrongs to right. And yet for the last year, since he found out Lionel killed his parents, he's been trying to kill Lex. Not just stop, but KILL. More on this later.

Chloe. Enough with the lies, please. I'm not happy about her character being dragged down with Oliver. While the Brainiac arc is over, thankfully, she's still obfuscating and hiding things. That never turns out well, and I hate that she's going down this path (which, according to spoilers for the rest of the season, keeps getting darker).

And seriously, why isn't she in Star City taking care of her HUSBAND? The one who tried to save her and was nearly killed by freaking DOOMSDAY?!?

Ugh. Moving on.

Skipping ahead to the climax. The krypto-bomb atop the Planet. That was actually a pretty cool device, and very appropriate for Lex's evil genius. Too long, this show has made Lex a woobie, even a woobie destroyer of worlds. It's time he became the criminal mastermind he's destined to be.

But seriously--Lana absorbs the kryptonite into her super-skin and saves the day? What i'm getting is that the powers that be (TPTB) are making her out to be a hero, a martyr, who sacrifices herself for Clark. But she just hasn't earned it yet. There's too much baggage there for her to get my teary devotion.

I like that Clark makes the decision to lose her in order to stop the bomb and save lives. It was subtle, but it was there. Last year's Clark would have hesitated, would have probably tried to stop her. But that doesn't absolve what comes next.

Clark finds "Lex's" semi-truck and suddenly goes to kill him.

Wait, WHAT?

And then Lana immediately talks him down.

WHAAAAT?!?

All those episodes establishing his code, his "one rule." And he would have tossed it aside because Lex somehow made it impossible for him to be with Lana. He didn't even kill her. And Clark's ready to throw it all away.

My huge problem with this is: Clark doesn't need Lana to be his conscience.

Look, the greatest strength Superman has isn't flight, or speed, or strength, or anything else. It's his moral code. That's at the heart of Superman--he is bound by an iron-clad moral code that DEFINES who he is. That's what makes him the world's greatest hero.

And in this show, after all this time, Superman needs Lana Lang to show him the better path.

Read that again. Or better yet, don't.

Suddenly, "Lex's" trailer explodes. Why? Because Oliver put a bomb in there and killed him.

Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, kills "Lex Luthor," and Chloe ends up covering up for him.

I actually had to rewind and rewatch that scene, because I couldn't friggin believe it. Two great characters, utterly stained by these unheroic actions. I don't even have words. This may well be the lowest point of the series in my mind. I haven't been this frustrated with the show since the abhorrent Season 4 "Lana is possessed by a Witch" arc. And you KNOW how i feel about that one.

I know it wasn't really Lex. It couldn't have been. Either there was no one in the truck, or it was a double. TPTB don't have the...fortitude to pull off so brazen a move. But the fact that they would even imply it, and cover the hands of the Green Arrow and Chloe Sullivan in blood--it's appalling to me as a fan.

Now, about the final scene. The last "loft scene" of Smallville. (These "loft scenes" are infamous in some quarters of the SV fanbase.) Clark and Lana talk about how her having absorbed the kryptonite makes her poisonous to him, that he'll never be able to touch her again. She's leaving, never to return.

And Clark, slowly, makes the agonizing walk across the room to her, nearly falling over a few times, and embraces and kisses her for the last time.

I'm going to admit it, I was tearing up, because it was a powerful scene. For all the horrible missteps and distractions this relationship has brought to the show and its story, this scene was one of the best bits of acting I've ever seen from Welling. I believed fully, in that moment, that Clark's love for Lana was real. He held her, kissed her, until his body couldn't take it anymore and he fell to his knees, writhing in pain. She cried out and ran away from him. Before she left, she said she loved him. As she runs out, he pushes himself up off the floor, and from his knees gasps, "I love you." Aaaaand scene.

Okay. As I said, I thought it was an incredibly powerful scene. But what i found interesting, and heard others observe, is that it's also so incredibly emblematic.

Lana is kryptonite.

This has been true for YEARS. She was Clark's greatest weakness. She brought out the selfishness in Clark, to the point where he was willing to give up his abilities and be human, in order to be with her. He was willing to sacrifice the life of someone else (not realizing it would be his own father) to be with her. He was willing to stop being a hero, in order to be with her. And when Lex made that impossible, Clark was ready to sacrifice his moral code and shed Lex's blood, an act of unheroic vengeance (no matter how deserved).

Lana was the kryptonite that kept Clark from taking his place as a hero. And for the first half of the season, when she was gone, he was stronger, more heroic, and closer to Superman than he'd ever been before.

And now she's gone. But at what cost? Everything that seemed to be building in Clark's character and heroic journey this year was pretty much lost. Lex Luthor is "dead" at the hands of two formerly heroic (or at least semi-heroic) characters. And everything seems to be in turmoil, regarding the storylines still unresolved. (Where is Doomsday/Davis? Where is Lois? Is Jimmy going to survive?)

So, you asked me what I thought, gentle reader? I'm disappointed. Offended, really. And while there were a few really cool moments in the episode, I think it did more harm than good. I don't know how the show will recover at this point. It's too late in the game to pull a stunt like this.

I know there are people who are swearing off the show forever. I'm not. I'm a fan, and I'm going to see it through. But I'm really let down. Up to this point, Season 8 has been the very best season of the show, in my opinion. I had high hopes that when it ends, either this year or next, it would end at the top of its game. After the last two episodes, my hope seems to be ill-placed.

It could turn around; anything's possible when it comes to TV shows. But without a massive ret-con, I don't see how.

And now, your Friday moment of insanity. (Japanese IMPORT Edition.)

2009-02-06T17:48:00.001-06:00

Lettin' the Sunshine In.

2009-02-03T16:07:00.002-06:00

(Borrowing a borrowed page from Ms. Trim's book...before slamming the cover shut!)

Things that make me happy:

Really well-written prose. I mean, sentences and phrases that just sing, you know? Stuff that I want to read aloud to myself just to savor the sounds of the words like little bite-sized bricks of Hershey chocolate.
Singing along to the car radio on a sunny afternoon. Something loud and easy-going, like Creedence or the Beatles.
Hugs. And i'm talking real good hugs--hugs from people who i know really care about me.
Girls wearing their hair in pigtails.
Watching "live" baseball of any kind. Sitting in the ballpark with the crowd. Eating a hotdog, preferably.
Reaching the end of my Sunday School hour feeling like I'm about to drop from exhaustion. That's when I know I'm done and I've done allright.
Going to the movies.
Solo road trips, with nothing but the radio and the horizon for company.
Walking into a hotel room just after checking in--everything perfectly placed, neat and clean, and interesting because it's unfamiliar.
Starting a new Superman graphic novel.
Holding hands.
Chocolate milk.
Being in love.
Babies.
The smell of ink in new books.
The smell of dust in old books.
Polaroid cameras.
Mint-flavored anything.
Empty work email inboxes.
Locking my office door on the last day before vacation.
Overcast winter afternoons that make you bundle up.
Music montages in offbeat/indie movies.
"Cubs win! Cubs win! Holy cow!"
Spending time with my family. (My dad, especially.)
Overtime shoot-outs at Aeros games.
Being forgiven.
Being accepted.
Being loved.

Monday Video View

2009-02-02T09:03:00.005-06:00

Best Commercial I Saw during the Super Bowl:

Seriously, any commercial that uses "Jump Around" gets high marks from me.

Best Commercial No One Saw during the Super Bowl:

The Top 25 Songs of 2008, combined into one mash-up:

"Ned! Ryerson!"

"This is about a self-loathing...giant squid..."

Linky-Love Lightning Round

2009-01-30T17:30:00.003-06:00

I'm tired of being here, so let's see how many links i can post in the next 15 minutes. Start the clock... GO:

Flight of the ConChords is coming to Houston! w00t!
Feel-good story: Man wakes comatose wife...with a kiss.
The Dawn Treader will sail again! Fox picks up the ball after Disney punts the franchise.
My buddy Trevor is in this band now.
Worst commercial to place after a shocking on-screen suicide by a beloved character? See for yourself.
Insane Spiderman tattoo.
I wish I were a healthier man, in order to attempt this. Of course, a healthier man would never do so.
My current favorite song. C'mon, Tom, at least they're reasonable.
The poverty in "Slumdog Millionaire" is not as far-fetched as some in India would like you to believe.
The story of Star Wars retold by someone who hasn't watched a single film all the way through.
Ten stories behind Dr. Seuss' tales.
New Japanese trailer for Harry Potter 6 (from a Spanish-language website--PBB has gone international!)
For the political and literate: Obama's Odyssey (sure to anger several of you). But it made me chuckle.
Why "The Prisoner" endures.
Turns out "Peanuts" was more intellectually stimulating than we realized.
TV Tropes--it's like a fully cross-referenced wikipedia for pop-culture storytelling cliches. I've already spent hours following the rabbit trail from entry to entry. Total pop-culture geek-out.
Did someone say "pancakes"?
If i had to write a "seventeenth thing" for the 16 Things meme, it would be this guilty confession: I still like LOLcats.

Aaaaaand, time. Fifteen minutes on the button. Have a good night, gang.

Things that Make My Head Hurt Today

2009-01-26T13:51:00.003-06:00

1)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi tries to justify "family planning services" (including abortion) as economic stimulus.

Why? Because if low-income and impoverished women keep their babies, the government will be liable to feed and educate them.

I've heard this argument over and over: that abortion is better than children being destitute. And I've almost stopped trying to argue against it because it belies a certain ideological or philosophical blindness I just can't overcome by rhetoric.

But I've never heard it from a politician's mouth, let alone the Speaker of the House. And I never thought I'd hear the implication that infanticide is a financially beneficial concept.

2)

American Christians are losing some of the key concepts of Christian theology, according to a recent Barna survey.

Here's the key quote:

Evidence of people’s willingness to part with church teaching was shown in other data from the survey regarding what people believe. Among individuals who describe themselves as Christian, for instance, close to half believe that Satan
does not exist, one-third contend that Jesus sinned while He was on earth, two-fifths say they do not have a responsibility to share the Christian faith with others, and one-quarter dismiss the idea that the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches.

*head-desk* *head-desk* *head-desk*

Okay. First, I have to hope that Barna's definition of "Christian" (or the responders' understanding of it) plays a part here. But even so, this shows a troubling circumstance for those who claim Christianity.

Here's the deal, gang. If you are a Christian, a Jesus-follower, there are certain beliefs involved. This is part of what the belief system entails.

First, the Bible says clearly, that Satan is real, that He is our enemy, and He will one day be eternally condemned by God. Second, the Bible says that Jesus was sinless, because in order for Jesus to be our high priest before God, and our substitute who takes on the wrath of God for our sin, He could not have sin of his own. Further, a God who sins is not holy. Read the books of Romans and Hebrews, people, c'mon! Third, IF you believe in that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus, and IF you believe that anyone who doesn't enter through that narrow gate is condemned to hell, then you have a MORAL OBLIGATION to communicate that truth to as many people as you can. As Penn Teller so accurately stated in a video a few weeks back, how much do you have to hate someone in order to let them be hit by the (metaphorical) dumptruck hurtling toward them??? Finally, the accuracy of the Bible is the lynch-pin to all of this, I think, because all of the links I'm putting up are practically meaningless if you don't think the Bible is trustworthy. Because I find it logically inconsistent that someone claims to base their belief about God on a book that they second-guess half the time, because at that point there's no way to know what's accurate and what's not. (But we've had this argument before, haven't we?)

So there. A great big "gaaaah." Why can't Christians just read the Bible? Dang.

3)

Because I haven't pissed off enough people so far, how about this: Annalee Newitz is an IDIOT.

[Before dissecting her arguments, I have to take issue with the phrase, "the Obama Era." This "era" has lasted (at most) ten weeks or so. Yes, I'll even allow the time since the election to be included. So far, I've heard a lot of jabbering about "the Obama Era." Hells bells, Gwen Ifill even wrote a book about it. But I beg of you, please pretty please, can we tone down the purple haze of "hopenchange" until the man (MAN, I said) has actually DONE stuff?]

Newitz asks if the blockbuster TV show "Battlestar Galactica" is still relevent in the current administration. For those of you uninitiated, BSG is a brilliantly conceived and produced, but admittedly left-leaning, sci-fi program. Yes, it's left-leaning, and if Adama's "is our civilization worth saving?" question doesn't convince you, the subtext of moral equivalence should. However, I still dig the show, and watch it every week. But Newitz gives point/counterpoint on whether the show has become a relic of the past "age" (the "Dark Ages" apparently).

She commends the show's multi-cultural, gender-equal leadership. As one commenter astutely points out, the Bush Administration was the most diverse (in regards to race and gender) of ANY administration up to that point, and so far the Obama "era" is only equally so. But then Newitz says the show exhibits liberal siege mentality, and adds, "Zarek and Gaeta's mutiny plot feels like something written for the Bush Era, a cautionary tale of what happens when xenophobia creeps into national policy." Because that's what it was about, hating all foreigners. *eyeroll* Newitz then cites the show's dwindling relevance by stating "the torture years are over."

Maybe this should be a whole post by itself. Suffice it to say, those five words speak volumes. Her next sentence: "Now that Obama has shut down Gitmo and other foreign prisons, we lack that feeling of panicked recognition as we watch the humans and cylons abusing each other." Okay, first, Gitmo? Not closed. Not yet. There's SO MUCH TO DO before that happens, but folks like Newitz are already dancing in the streets over it. After a quote, Newitz asks if the show won't be taken as seriously without a president who's "beating the 'war on terror' drum". Ugh. That's right, folks. Bush made the whole thing up.

Here's the killer: Newitz describes the show's still relevant examination of the connectedness of religion and politics, but then says that "religious war is being replaced by religious peace."

Um, what?

"Culture wars between Judeo-Christians and Muslims may be on the wane with Obama addressing his inaugural speech to 'a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.' ... Under Obama, it's possible that this civilization gap will start to close... If Obama makes good on his promises of religious tolerance, in eight years BSG's religious anguish and culty weirdness may look as dated as Logan's Run."

...Wow. Really?

Is Ms. Newitz's life SO sheltered that she doesn't see that there is GLOBAL conflict? Radical Muslims targeting ALL faiths? And she thinks, as so many do, that Obama is somehow going to calm all world conflicts, and unite us in peace and harmony?

I'm sorry, kids. It's not going to happen. And it's the peak of naivete to buy into that. Because like it or not, we have enemies that are even now burning Obama in effigy and still crying out "death to America." That's not going away. Not in four years, not in eight, maybe not ever.

Come back to the real world, Annalee. It's scarier, sure, but it's still worth living here.

4)

This is just freaking ridiculous. Not on par with the idiocy above, but still ridiculous. Thanks, Manders.

"Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, sound..."

2009-01-22T10:55:00.002-06:00

You may have heard that U2 is releasing their new album on March 3. (If you haven't, then there you go.) Here's a tracklist and description.

Thanks to ever-observant Manders, here's the first single off the new album. (And lyrics.)

Play it loud.

PBB Movie Reviews

2009-01-21T22:54:00.002-06:00

Need ideas for what to see this weekend at the local cineplex? Here are three options I'd recommend:

Gran Torino
Starring Clint Eastwood
(Rated R for violence, language, racial slurs)

Eastwood's final film role (according to reports) is the grizzled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski, who comes home from his wife's funeral to find himself alone in a changing world. The neighborhood he built a life in has changed completely, his children are grown and indifferent, and the only friendships he has are with other oldtimers and a fresh-faced priest who won't leave him alone (his wife's wishes). When Walt finds his Hmong neighbors harrassed by a local gang, he is able to put aside his prejudices to defend the defenseless, and in doing so finds a new purpose for his twilight years.

What I liked about this film is that, while it could have been preachy and obvious, it took a less didactic approach, and did more showing than telling. Walt was a real person instead of a charicature of a "racist who learns acceptance." Change doesn't come easy. What I loved about the film was the ending. I won't spoil it here, but I'll just say, in its way, it gives an amazing picture of the Christian ideal of "overcoming evil with good." As a viewer, I felt the tension between my desire to see the wicked "punished" with righteous vengeance, and my beliefs as a follower of Jesus. The film balances this in a really compelling way.

If you can handle some violence, language, and racial slurs, I highly recommend Eastwood's masterful film.

Slumdog Millionaire
Starring Dev Patel
(Rated R for language, some violence, thematic elements)

When a young man from the slums of Mumbai goes on a miraculous run on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," questions are raised, and accusations of cheating begin to fly. In this film by Danny Boyle (director of a bunch of great films), we learn the story of Jamaal, the "slumdog" whose astounding and improbable life journey leads him to the "hot seat" and a chance at the grand prize.

All the hype you've heard about this film? Totally justified. This film is sometimes gritty, at times emotionally brutal, but ultimately unstoppably hopeful. This is one of those films that will leave you feeling good about life. The storytelling technique is engaging. The actors are all phenomenal. Really, you need to go see this film. If there were a way for Slumdog, Gran Torino, and Dark Knight to ALL get the Best Picture Oscar, just as a way to apologize for all the sucky Best Picture winners of the past decade or so, it would prove there is justice in the Academy.

So yeah, go see Slumdog. Trust me. Just go.

Paul Blart, Mall Cop
Starring Kevin James
(Rated PG for mild violence, alcohol use)

Paul Blart is a (you guessed it) mall security guard who has tried and failed to join the New Jersey state troopers several times. However, when his mall is taken over on "Black Friday" by a coordinated (and oddly acrobatic) gang of thieves, Blart is the "last line of defense" and makes a "John McClane"-like stand to protect his friends and daughter and foil the plot.

This is a silly, harmless, enjoyable popcorn flick about a loveable schlub who gets an opportunity to be the hero and save the day. Kevin James is a great comedic actor who relies on physical humor and completely selling his character; this is the kind of commitment that makes Will Ferrell so brilliantly funny at times. The film isn't perfect, and may only be worth a rental, but if you've got a family, you can feel good about taking your older kids to see it. (Young kids may get scared by the gunfire and threats of violence. And there is a sequence in which Blart gets drunk accidentally, so if alcohol use is an issue, keep an eye out for that.)

[Coming tomorrow: some capsule video reviews.]

The Ballad of Neifi Perez and Jason Marquis

2009-01-21T08:51:00.003-06:00

A personal anecdote.

I've been a Chicago Cubs fan for years, and in recent memory, no player has raised my ire as much as Neifi Perez. Or, as he forever shall be referred to, "Neifi Friggin Perez."

Neifi Friggin Perez was a relic of the lamentable Dusty Baker era of Chicago Cubs history. Baker, a manager of once-respected skill, decided that NFP was his favorite, his prize player, and brought him over from San Francisco near the end of the 2004 season. NFP started strong, and we thought he may be a good addition. The numbers didn't really pan out that way. While not atrocious, they weren't very impressive, and what struck me is that Neifi seemed to be one of the most un-clutch players I've ever seen. For every key hit at the end of the game, he seemed to have ten at-bats where he whiffed on pitches or dribbled DP balls to the infield.

You know how the crowd in Mudville thrilled at the thought of Casey at the Bat? It was the exact opposite reaction for me when Neifi approached the plate in the late innings. A cold dread seized my chest. And more often than not, he would quickly return to the dugout defeated, and I would mutter, "Neifi Friggin Perez."

Of course, I may remember him more negatively than he deserves. As I said, his stats weren't great, but he had some good moments. A grand slam. Some key hits and go-ahead runs. But I remember the negative, and it forever colors my view of his brief stint with the club (less than two full seasons). No matter what happened, he would always be "Neifi FRIGGIN Perez."

In 2004, NFP was traded to Detroit, where he got to play in the Tigers' ill-fated World Series. And later, his career would be marred by several suspensions for using performance-enhancing drugs.

As much as I have hated on NFP, what's happened since? The Cubs have won two division titles but have been unable in the past two years to win a playoff game. Who do we blame for this? Can't be NFP, can it.

But maybe the fault lies with Jason Marquis, or as he is now called "Freaking Jason Marquis." Jason Marquis, washed-up Cardinals pitcher extraordinaire, was picked up by the Cubbies in 2007. He's a #5 pitcher, through and through. An innings-eater with an ERA that's been north of 4.5 since 2004. And if you asked me, "Dave, what's your opinion of Jason Marquis?" I'd have said, "Freakin Jason Marquis is a bum." Now, do the facts play out? Well, in his two years with the Cubs, FJM had a record of 23-18. Both were winning seasons for him. And at the plate, he knocked in 10 RBIs last year. So was it his fault the bats went cold in October? I don't even think he got to pitch a post-season inning last year.

So now, with pitchers and catchers reporting in less than a month, we have to look ourselves in the eye and say, "Who determines how we do this year? Is it Neifi Friggin Perez, who's no longer playing? Is it Freakin Jason Marquis, who was signed during the offseason by the Colorado Rockies?

Or is it going to be THIS team, and no one else, who decides their future? Just the players on the field, not the ghosts of the past.

So what it comes down to is: like so many other things, success or failure comes down to what's done now, in the present, and can't be tied to what's happened in the past.

Can we Cubs fans forget the players from the past who we blamed for all the evils of the world, and accept that, from here on out, it's all about who's playing the game today?

Yes we can.

It's after six, why am i still here?

2009-01-20T18:03:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the scarce posting. I've been off-work for the last five days, and my home-internetting has been impeded. Stupid technology, how you foil me so.

I think i have some things to say. May be worth reading, who knows. But it will have to wait. Time to go home and eat some food.

If I can make the home-internetting happen, I'll try to post something tonight. But suffice to say, words are on their way.

In the meantime, check out this album by Fiction Family (a collaboration between members of Switchfoot and Nickel Creek). It's totally boss. I'll be listening to it nonstop until AOL takes it off.

More later.

"I don't wanna know if the answers aren't easy..."

2009-01-13T10:29:00.002-06:00

I'm reading lately about living under grace, and what that looks like. And it's funny (or sad) how we so often try to twist living under grace into being another kind of law. We like law, and structure, and knowing exactly where we stand and how close to the line we can get.

And this morning, I'm listening to a Derek Webb album (a singular event, in itself), and I hear this song, which touches on the subject and pokes at me a bit.

Lyrics:

vs. 1)
don’t teach me about politics and government
just tell me who to vote for
don’t teach me about truth and beauty
just label my music
don’t teach me how to live like a free man
just give me a new law

(pre-chorus)
i don’t wanna know if the answers aren’t easy
so just bring it down from the mountain to me

(chorus)
i want a new law
i want a new law
gimme that new law

(vs. 2)
don’t teach me about moderation and liberty
i prefer a shot of grape juice
don’t teach me about loving my enemies
don’t teach me how to listen to the Spirit
just give me a new law

(pre-chorus/chorus)

(bridge)
what’s the use in trading a law you can never keep
for one you can that cannot get you anything
do not be afraid
do not be afraid
do not be afraid

One of the challenges of the Christian life is understanding that any rules we follow have to come out of the relationship we have with Jesus. There are rules, yes, but rules built on love instead of punishment.

I wonder if the reason we like our rules is that it gives us an objective standard by which to compare ourselves to others. It's harder to compare one relationship to another. The lines are blurrier, the edges a bit more amorphous.

As I'm writing this, I'm trying to come up with a killer closing statement. Something to make you go "wow" or "a-ha." But all i've got is this: I'm a sinner. God's grace saves me. And on my best days, I'm still a sinner. And on my worst days, I'm still a sinner. God's grace, through the blood of Jesus, sustains me. That's my story.

PBB Official Proclamation trumpets

2009-01-09T16:37:00.003-06:00

Hereby let it be known throughout the land, from this day forth and until further notice:

Smashburger is the Official Burger Joint of Perfect Blue Buildings.

Because holy cow, it's so good.

So it shall be written, so it shall be done.

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

2009-01-08T18:07:00.002-06:00

So I'm tweaking with the blog design. Nothing too radical right now, but still different than before.

I also pared down the link bar quite a bit, added a few links i actually read, and deleted lots of links i don't, as well as links for bloggers who don't blog anymore (a.k.a. normal people).

Of course, a blogroll is a delicate and political thing. People feel offended if you drop them from your roll, even if they barely post. So if you now find you've been dropped, it's usually for one of three reasons:

1) You don't blog. A picture of your cat six months ago doesn't count. I've saved your link, but until you start actually blogging again, I'm gonna file you away. It's cool that you got married, but your wedding photo is not sufficient blogging to keep me around for six months.

(To be honest, if I'd just gotten married, I don't know if I'd be blogging all that much for the first six months anyway. I'd have better things to occupy my time, if you know what I'm saying. ...Filling out thank-you cards, I mean. Wait, what were YOU thinking about?)

2) You blog too much. This is the "Sheila/Lileks" rule. There are certain bloggers that I can read for hours. And do. At work. So I've winnowed out some blogs which i don't read often, because when i start I have trouble stopping.

3) I don't care. This is admittedly a crueller reason. ("Crueller" looks like cruller right now. I must be hungry.) But the fact is, there are certain bloggers I've really stopped following up with. I know people have done that with me, and that's cool. The fact is, there are only a handful of bloggers I really care enough about to check on a regular basis. The rest of you are keen people, but I have to prioritize. Especially now, with so much of my time eaten up by my fantasy basketball league. (I'm kidding...somewhat.)

===

I'm a pretty fair guy, though. If you've been cut from the blogroll and find this grossly unfair, tell me why in the com-box. If you've never been linked here at PBB, make your case below.

In fact, if you read this site at all, please comment below, at least to say hi. Haven't done one of these in a while.

"Who are you?" "I am Number Two." "Who is Number One?" "You are Number Six."

2009-01-07T15:40:00.002-06:00

Okay, kids, check this sweet business out:

AMC is remaking the amazing BBC series "The Prisoner" into a miniseries starring Ian McKellan and Jim Caviezel. While I'm a little uneasy about ANY remake of such a brilliant television series, I'm THRILLED about this:

They've posted the original series online in its entirety. All 17 episodes.

Here's your assignment for the week: If you've never seen "The Prisoner," you need to take some time and check it out. This show is the stylistic grandfather of such landmark shows as "Twin Peaks" and "LOST." Bizarre, jarring, and full of mysteries. Patrick McGoohan is awesome, and the show's visual style is unique and striking. While the series end is sudden and a little frustrating, it's still fitting for such a show.

For realz, yo. Check it out while you can. Worth your precious minutes.

Linky-Love '09!!!! (Early January Edition)

2009-01-06T13:03:00.003-06:00

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check it out.

Lots of links today will relate to the upcoming spring TV season, so here's a handy-dandy ("Notebook?"), no, calendar of your favorite shows' returns.
Show I can't wait for #1--LOST. Here are a couple of spoilery articles, and a few spoilery videos.
Show I can't wait for #2--Smallville. Here's one of the teaser trailers. (Here's another.)
Speaking of Smallville, here's a clip of Kristin Kreuk (Smallville's "Lana") in her new film, a reboot of the "Street Fighter" film franchise, in which she plays Chun-Li. (The trailer is in Japanese, yes, but it still looks cool.)
Here's a classic David Letterman sketch that makes me laugh every time--Dave running the Taco Bell drive-thru.
This is for you folks who get misty-eyed during the Oscars' "In Memoriam" sequence--the Turner Classic Movies' version. It's amazing how many notable stars passed away last year.
Best Photo Gallery honors go to the cast of How I Met Your Mother, re-enacting notable recent images from news and pop culture.
When you want to put the past year in perspective, there's only one distinguished, historical, and entirely even-handed source to turn to: humorist Dave Barry. This is your PBB Mandatory Reading of the Day.
I'm convinced this rock anthem should be the theme song for global warming alarmists. (Warning: the video is silly and outrageous in a vaguely scandalous way. FYI.)
Re: the above--I'm joking. Calm down. (But honestly, it's the song that immediately pops into my head when people start talking about how we gotta "do something" about the environment.)
Here's NPR's list of the best music of 2008.
Don't know if you're familiar with the "literal video version" craze on Youtube. It's pretty much music videos by famous rock bands, with the lyrics change to reflect what's actually going on in the video. While this one's still my favorite, these two of Radiohead have caught my eye recently. There are a bunch of copycats online now, but when it's done well, this stuff is brilliant.

That's all, folks. Enjoy your afternoon.

What do I do when I haven't posted in a while but don't have much to say?

2009-01-05T14:10:00.002-06:00

VIDEO POSTS!

Here are a few tracks I've been listening to during the last few weeks.

The first two are by Weezer:

"Miss Sweeney"

"King"

Proof that ANYTHING sounds better as a rock song:

Anybody remember this one? Heard it on the radio the other day, and it got stuck in my head:

And finally, a music montage that has NOTHING to do with a show that's returning with new episodes on January 15th:

You should be going to bed, Dave. Why are you still up?

2009-01-01T23:20:00.002-06:00

Two things, and then to bed.

1)

I saw her New Years Eve picture, in which she was kissing a guy I didn't know. And not just "oh, it's new year's, how about a friendly smooch" kissin'--i'm talking passionate, end-of-"When-Harry-Met-Sally" kissing. My first reaction was jealousy. I even checked her Facebook page to see if her status had changed. It had not. So who was this new character, and what right does he have to such friendly relations with my... Well, there's the rub, right? Shewas never my anything. No matter how sweet on her I may have ever been, because I was too afraid to speak up, she was never more than my friend. Barely that. My kind acquaintance, to whom I spoke on and off, but more often than not simply gazed at across the room.

I can't explain or justify my response to the photo in any rational way. I have no claim on her or her affections. This story is just like so many of my stories--the boy who wouldn't man-up and tell the girl how he felt, and then missed his opportunity. The boy who watches the girls he falls for run off with other men. The boy who...stays the boy.

And for the last six years, these stories have sucked.

2)

Goals for 2009:

--Getting healthy. Lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and a lower number on the scale. Setting small goals, and then bigger ones. Making change that lasts, so that I'll stick around long enough to change the world in my small way.

--Actually finishing a writing project. Doesn't matter what it is. Bible Redux. Tayor House. A new short-story collection. Doesn't matter. I'll type "The End" on something this year.

--Acting like a man instead of staying "the boy." Shaking off fears of inadequacy and rejection, and starting to date again. Because, no matter how poetic it may seem, "pining" is only good for trees.

Those are my goals. What are yours? Comment below.

NYE Mixtape Blog

2008-12-31T16:45:00.003-06:00

Hey folks. I wanted to drop in and say hey, give you an update, talk about a few things. So grab your noisemakers and paper hats...

===

"What are you doing New Year's Eve?"
I hope you have better plans than I do. I'm still sick. I've been sick for a little over a week. It's gone back and forth, but it's now settling into my chest. I'm on antibiotics and all manner of allergy and sinus medications. My accomplishments so far today: I cooked turkey hash, watched about 5 episodes of The Office, and showered. Plan for the rest of the rockin' NYE: watch the rest of Season 3 of The Office (thanks again, Netflix!), eat more turkey hash, and continue to sniffle/wheeze/cough/etc. No kisses for me tonight. So all you who are getting kisses, snag an extra one in my memory, if you don't mind.

Plans for tomorrow are still shaky, but they include more Office, more turkey hash (if any remains), watching the Red Wings game on TV (they're playing outdoor hockey at my beloved Wrigley Field), and maybe slaying some mythical beasties. Oh, and the ubiquitous sniffling, wheezing, et cetera, ad nauseum. In fact, you may go ahead and add nausea too, just to be prepared.

I'm sorry I won't get to see any of you this year. Kelly and Jill, and Trev and Amanda, I'll definitely miss hanging out with you folks. I'll do my best to drive up sometime in the next year and hang out.

===

"A long December and it's easy to believe /Maybe this year will be better than the last..."
This has been a rough year, hasn't it? Personally, nationally. It's been a beast. My family's taken some hits: job losses, personal crises, struggling like the rest of our city to get by without power and available supplies for a while after a hurricane hit. Financial uncertainty, global uncertainty. The political changes that face our nation, which bring hope to some and concern to others. It's been a rough and tumble kind of year.

But I'm going to tell you two true things in response to all this: 1) God is faithful, He hasn't abandoned His people, and He will not ever do so. And I put my trust in that. 2) It's still hard to be excited to wake up in the morning sometimes. It's hard to have faith sometimes. And while I cognitively always believe in the faithfulness of God, it doesn't make some of our struggles any less harrowing. But the fact that God is and that He has compassion on us, keeps me from giving up. So should it keep you from giving up.

===

"So this is the new year / And I don't feel any different..."

If you're a regular reader of PBB, you may be very concernedly asking, "Wait, Dave, what about your usual end-of-the-year posts? What about the PBB Book List? What about the Slackies?!? I MUST HAVE MY SLACKIES!!!!"

Well, calm down, here's the explanation: I'm sick. (What, weren't you paying attention earlier?)

Kidding aside, it's coming: the PBB Reading List, the 2008 mix tape, the Slackies, the whole shebang. You'll see them in the next week or two. I hope.

In the meantime, a holdover from last year: the entirety of "It's a Wonderful Life" posted online, for you to watch at work, at home, wherever. If you've never seen it, do me a personal favor, and make the time to watch it today or tomorrow. You won't regret it. Consider it a belated Christmas present from me to you.

===

"Is this the New Year, or just another night?"
It didn't feel like the holidays this year. There were moments when it was nice, no doubt about that. But it just didn't feel special. I don't know what's going on with me lately. A combination of factors, I suppose. But this holiday season wasn't special, so much as survivable. And I hate that I feel that way sometimes, because I have so much that I'm thankful for. But something just felt...off. It still does.

Tonight's the end of a year, but it's still just the middle of a week. Tomorrow there's a Thursday and then a Friday, a weekend and then we're back to Monday. Nothing monumental. ...I'm missing something these days. Excitement. Hope. Verve. I'm going through the motions, but missing the abundance of life. Maybe my "resolution" for the new year is to find ways to restore the joy of life that seems to have been draining out of my days and weeks lately.

===

"Nothing changes on New Years Day..."
(I sometimes hear this as a song of hope...but this line always belies that. Thus, the topic below.)

All anyone is talking about on the news is the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Do I want to get into the ugliness here? Not really. This is the type of issue that fills up the comment box with anger and rhetoric.

But I feel compelled to comment, so here you go: War sucks. But terrorism sucks more. Hamas is a terrorist organization responsible for constant rocket attacks and suicide bombings that wound and kill Israeli civilians, and Israel needs to be able to defend itself. Are innocent civilians getting killed in the retaliation? Yes. I hate that. But I blame the cowards who are hiding amongst the civilians, hoping their deaths would provoke outrage against their enemies. Hamas is an army of cowards and scum. I hope the Israeli army and leadership can end this soon, but it should end with the defeat of Hamas, not with concessions and apologies.

There. Bring on the onslaught.

===

"We'll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne..."

It's getting dark. We're approaching sunset. I'm sitting on the floor of my living room, typing this missive into the "work" laptop on my coffee-table. When I hit submit, I'll go back to laying down and watching TV--I mean, recouperating.

Happy New Year, friends and family. May this one be better than the last. May it bring you peace, rest, renewal, restoration, and life in Jesus Christ.

PBB Presents: Top Five Unassailably Cool Christmas Songs

2008-12-18T17:39:00.002-06:00

Because so many of you are questioning if I have a heart at all, or any tenderness for the Christmas season and its music, here are five songs that I like every year. Enjoy!

=====

#5: "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley

Because Elvis is just plain cool. C'mon, you can roll your eyes, and make fun all you like, but you have to admit, deep down, you like this song. Here's a live acoustic version by members of Third Day and Jars of Clay, but if you're a purist, here's a link to the King himself.

#4: "Merry Christmas, Here's to Many More" by Relient K

A newer song, but it's quickly become one of my favorites. The first line captures my usual feeling during the holidays: "I made it through the year and I did not even collapse / I gotta say, thank God for that..." I'm the type of person who gets overwhelmed by the business of work and church and family obligations that it stops being about Jesus and is just about surviving until the next available day off. I mean, I don't even have a Christmas tree up yet. So the harriedness of Christmas is my experience. Yet the song isn't about worry or stress, but about celebration of God's blessings. Good stuff.

#3: "O Holy Night"

One of my favorite Christmas "hymns." I remember a few special occasions of singing this song. It just strikes the right chords in my heart. And I refuse to let South Park's hilariously-irreverent version ruin it for me. Here's an instrumental version of the song performed by jazz musicians who survived Katrina, from the TV show "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." I loved this heart-warming scene in this episode, so I'm including the version with dialogue and cut-aways. The instrumental-only version is here.

#2: "Drummer Boy" by Jars of Clay

Not even the song in general so much, as this particular version of it. I suppose I could go into how much the song means to me, the idea of bringing whatever gifts we have to Jesus, however humble, and using them to give Him glory. But that's obvious; so I'm just going to say, Jars of Clay is probably my favorite band, and I want Dan Haseltine's scarf. That's all. Enjoy.

#1: "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"

Probably my favorite Christmas song ever. There's just so much here; most importantly, it captures the urgency of Advent, of humanity itself, as it yearns for redemption. We didn't just need a new moral code, another prophet, a new flavor of religion. We needed a savior. We needed redemption. We needed to be made new. Jesus did that. He was "God with us." And He ransomed His people, captive to sin and death. So, rejoice, rejoice. Emmanuel has ransomed us.

Response time: What are some of your favorites, and why? Drop your answers in the com-box. Have a good night.

So Simple, Even An Athiest Gets It...

2008-12-16T09:35:00.004-06:00

(The title's meant in jest, so the easily-offended need to chill.)

You may be familiar with the comedian/entertainer Penn Jillette, either from his two-man illusionist act "Penn and Teller" or from his various cable shows and other speaking and writing events. Sharp guy, funny guy, intellectually honest, and hardcore athiestic. An athiest evangelist, if you will, but with enough of a head on his shoulders to recognize rhetorical/political nonsense (which puts him at the front of the line ahead of guys like Bill Maher).

I happened upon this video diary of his, about a man who gave him a gift of a Bible recently, and his reaction to it. During this video, Jillette explains what he believes about personal belief and "evangelizing" (he uses the word "proselytizing") for it. In this five-minute video, he grasps the urgency of spreading a faith message better than many Christians do. And I have to say, I was surprised. Listen to the whole thing, but pay close attention at around the 3-minute mark.

The other thing I get from this is how vitally important it is that Christians treat other people with respect and kindness, and use words seasoned with salt. Because if we treat non-believers, even (especially?) those out-right opposed to our faith, with that kind of dignity and love, we will be living lives worthy of the One whose name we bear, and some may even be won over by that love.

PBB Presents: Top Five Most Heinous Musical Crimes Related to Christmas (2008 Edition)

2008-12-15T15:42:00.005-06:00

[Updated and Revised from Last Years list; Now with More Snark!]

It's ten days until Christmas, and you may have been inundated with Christmas music for the past month or so. It doesn't bother me as much these days. I used to be a real Scrooge when it came to Christmas music, but I think a lot of that was just posturing, trying to be "too cool" for Yule. Suffice it to say, if I had to pick a favorite holiday song in college, it would have been "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Sixpence None the Richer. (Which is a great track, by the way.)

I can now appreciate Christmas music a bit more. Age will do that to you. Plus, it seems these days like i'm losing touch with the excitement that the holidays always brought, so I try to hang on to it where i can. I'm not quite at the "non-stop carols from Thanksgiving to Christmas" level yet. (My mother lives at that level.) But I can definitely appreciate Christmas music a whole lot more.

However, that doesn't mean I like all Christmas music. In fact, certain songs still annoy and anger me--so much so that I feel it's my duty to unofficially indict these musical crimes and misdemeanors.

Here they are, then: PBB's List of Christmas-themed Musical Crimes.

[Disclaimer: If you like these songs, that's cool. If you think I'm being unnecessarily grumpy or negative, that's fine. Whatever, maybe I am, so what? These are the five songs that I avoid like the plague. Songs that make me turn the radio dial immediately, or off completely if they keep popping up. I'd rather listen to my truck engine idle than sit through these cheesefests ever again. But maybe it's just me, so whatever.]

Dishonorable Mention #1: "Jingle Bell Rock" by Billy Idol

Normally this song would be okay, but I take offence that it turned Billy Idol into this.

I hear he wanted to rewrite the first few lines:

Going broke
Going broke
I need a check
So many child support bills, I'm wrecked
Shredding my image
One song at a time
I'll do stupid things for a dime!

Dishonorable Mention #2: "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Dr. Elmo
Why is this song popular? Please, someone, anyone explain the appeal. Because what i've got is geriatric alcoholism and nearly-dead relatives. Not quite a laugh a minute. How has this song survived for almost 30 years?!?

Now the List...

#5: "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano

I almost didn't list this one, becuase really, it's harmless. But the sad fact is that this song is the "Margaritaville" of Christmas carols--everyone knows the words, everyone sings along with the song, and then everyone is deeply embarrassed afterwards. No Christmas carol should cause this much shame. And honestly, the lyrics aren't that inspiring. No magnificent angelic host, no inspiring star, no world laying pining in sin and error, no captive Israel. Just some dude saying Merry Christmas over and over and over. He doesn't even wish us a prosperous New year "from the bottom of his heart." What's up, Jose? Did you run out of sincere sentiment halfway through?

#4: "Santa Baby" by anyone who thinks it's still sexy.

With this song, you get one or two possible outcomes: the singer comes off as trashy and/or just plain sad. (Or in Kylie Minogue's case, able to speak dolphin.) Seriously, this is just painful. Memo to everyone singing this song ever: You are neither Cynthia Basinet nor Eartha Kitt. You will never sound like Cynthia Basinet or Eartha Kitt. Attempting to sing this song as if you were Cynthia Basinet or Eartha Kitt only demonstrates how ridiculous and incredibly annoying this song sounds. Plus, it makes you look sad and desperate. Please stop. For the love of Christmas, please stop.

#3: "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney

First, take everything remotely awesome about 80's synth music. Okay, ready? Now smash it with a candy cane until it's completely unrecognizable and repulsive. Once you're done with that, let it rot for about a year, and then set it on fire. Put out the flames with old pondwater, and then smother it with about 15 gallons of watered down vanilla frosting. What you'll have will still be more palatable than this turd, produced by one-fourth of the greatest band of the twentieth century.

The video is frightening and may in some subconscious way be intended to dissuade kids from doing drugs during the holidays. The disembodied piano-playing hands and the star people freak me out. At about 1:45 into the video, the Spanish Inquisition shows up (unexpected, natch). There's duelling Pauls, some kind of fire, angels vandalizing buildings. I'm giving you the high points here.

What stinks is that there is actually a decent version by Jars of Clay, but I can't enjoy it, because Sir Paul's original is forever tainted.

#2: "Happy Birthday Jesus"

Now at this point, you may be taken aback. "C'mon, Dave, really? You're taking shots at a song sung by sweet little kids?" Yes I am, and I'll explain why.

The main problem is the age paradox. This song could only be sung by small children, because the thought of adults singing it is ridiculous to the extreme. On the other hand, you suffer from the cloyingly sweet little girl's voice, with the thlight lithp of mithing teeth--including one point when she ventures into "Junior-Asparagus" land. Then you have the sweeping orchestration over the children's choir, repeating the EXACT SAME LINES before coming back down into the shaky-voiced (oh, i'm sorry, i meant tender) solo finale.

Obviously, if I were this child's parent, I would be beaming with pride. But it's hard to beam with pride at other people's kids. Have you actually tried going to an elementary school Christmas production lately? It's painful. You only care, you can only stand it, if you have a stake in the endeavour. I don't know this little girl. I'm sure she's a sweetheart. But just like I don't make a habit of seeking out bootlegged soundtracks to every elementary-school Christmas production starring cherubic little tykes in construction paper and cotton ball costumes, I don't want to listen to this dear little child sing a birthday song to Jee-ZAHS, makes no difference that the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir produced it.

I'm sorry, that's just the way I feel.

And now, the biggest Christmas stinker is...

#1: "The Christmas Shoes" by Newsong

If there were ever a tune deserving of criminal prosecution, it's this one--and I say this with absolutely no exaggeration. I can't even express how much I loathe this song. Some of these tracks annoy me, or stick in my mind like a burr that I can't remove. But this one makes me angry, to the point of minor violence. Why? Because it's expressly created to make you cry. A little boy is buying new shoes for his mother, so she'll be pretty when she dies and goes to Heaven tonight.

Holy. Freaking. Crap. And the kid can't afford the shoes, and a stranger buys them for him. For his mom who's dying of some unspecified disease. Because apparently Daddy can't get his butt to the store with his young son to buy the frigging shoes.

The stage-whispery vocals. The telegraphed musical swells at the bridge. The FREAKING CHILDREN'S CHOIR SINGING THE CHORUS AFTER THE BRIDGE!

AAARRRRRGGGGGGHHH!!! MUST SMASH!!!! MUST SMASH!!!!!!!!

*calming breaths*

I still hate you, Newsong. I still hate you very very much.

===

Up Next: "PBB's Top Five Favorite Christmas Songs." Because I'll need to prove that I do actually have a heart, after this tirade...

My Nose is Nearly Thawed Out...

2008-12-10T23:31:00.003-06:00

The last six hours? Crazy. In point-by-point form:

Stayed late at work. Stupid work.
Snow flurries are lovely and awesome until it starts to feel really cold.
Missing my bus by mere seconds, and waiting an HOUR for the next one to show up. While leaning under a building overhang to get some relief from the snow flurries.
Random, sudden car trouble.
Crazy, bitter, muttering tow truck driver.
Still very, very cold.

I'd provide more detail, but it's freaking cold and i'm exhausted. Those of you who pray, pray I can figure out what's going on with my truck. My theory is that my clutch fluid/line is frozen.

Thanks for your patronage, and come again.

Linky-Love: A/V Club Edition

2008-12-04T16:47:00.003-06:00

Mostly video links, but hey, it'll keep you busy on Friday.

Does it stink that Ben Folds Five reunited for a one-night-only concert in North Carolina, in which they played the entirety of their final album "...Reinhold Messner," and I missed it? Yes. Does it rock that MySpace posted the entire concert vid, with additional interview footage, online? You better believe it does.
Want to see a LOST-promo-slash-music-video? Sure you do.
One of my favorite Youtube channels is from TED, a conference of notable thinkers and speakers. In this video, the creator of Second Life talks about how it came about, how it functions, and the sociological trends it reveals. The video is 28 minutes, but it's worth it.
Oddly, it wasn't until I saw this that I started kinda wanting an iPhone. Because seriously, it could come in handy when I need to summon Epona or something.
BSGeeks worldwide are nearly trembling in giddy anticipation of the new season.
New Chris Cornell songs! (Brace yourself, because he's going in a...different direction.)
If you haven't been watching "Eli Stone," well, you're probably the reason it looks like it won't get picked up for the second-half of the season. THANKS, JERKS. Anyway, where there's a failing TV show with a cult following, there's always a "save our show" campaign.
Check out highlights from the Austin City Limits festival.

Disclaimer

2008-12-04T10:27:00.002-06:00

Don't want to give the wrong impression... I've been meaning to post something else, but haven't had time.

So leaving that poem as the top post for more than a few days wasn't an exercise in self-indulgence, I promise. It's just the result of a really busy and stressful work-week, coupled with time spent thinking and working on some other projects.

(I'm sure I'm just being paranoid about it. But the last thing I want you to think is that I'm still fishing for feedback.)

So here's a spacer post, to move the poem down from the top spot, so i feel less self-conscious about it.

And here's a spoken-word poem i like:

torn diary page

2008-11-29T22:23:00.003-06:00

i wasted two-thirds of a Saturday watching
sitcoms. i suppose there were smarter things
to do, a more adult-like list, like laundry,
or budgeting, or putting up my Christmas tree.
but i sat, staring at my computer screen,
watching The Office and laughing by myself
inside an empty, cold apartment. well, not empty, not really,
i'm surrounded by a crowd of books stacked on shelves
and floors, and by the door there is a mob of magazines packed
in a rack. in fact, i also have a multitude of nice CDs, some
DVDs, and of course a gang of vinyl records, which
i spin when i want to appreciate the "old school."

but between me and you and the old lamp post,
i have to admit i'd trade them all, books, albums,
magazines, butterscotch candies, sole ownership of
the remote control, i'd put them all down on the table
and shake hands to seal the deal and exchange the lot for
someone to laugh with when i watch The Office
on my laptop computer, a shoulder to bury my face in
as Michael Scott makes a fool of himself,
a hand to grasp as Jim and Pam dance around
their feelings, and two cool eyes to gaze into when
the credits roll.

really. take the lot. that's my offer. all these petty prizes
i've acquired, because Art and Paul were liars,
see, no man is a rock or island,
unless he's elba, or patmos, or off-hours alcatraz.
and piles of creature comforts and pleasant diversions
are cold tokens of a life built around solitude.
really, take it all away and replace them with
a quiet conversation on the train, and maybe a breathy
"good night" whispered in a cell phone,
with an "i love you like my next heartbeat" as the
silent subtext.

I'm about to leave...

2008-11-26T13:57:00.004-06:00

...but I felt like I needed to at least say hi.

Hi.

What's going on with me? Not much. I have the next two days off for the Thanksgiving holiday--you'd better believe i'm thankful for THAT--and then the weekend.

I'll try to post a bit more later in the week.

That's all. I'm hungry. Time for lunch.

Here are some treats for you.

Pictures!

2008-11-24T12:49:00.002-06:00

Until I can write something entertaining for you, here's a look at my off-hours during last week's work trip.

Orlando!

Enjoy.

Help me stay awake, I'm fallin'...

2008-11-15T23:58:00.002-06:00

It's midnight, Cinderella.

I'm flying to Orlando tomor--well, okay, today. In ten-plus hours. Work conference. I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days. The nine-hours-a-day of panel lectures and workshops aren't laugh-a-minute, but it's essentially a work-reimbursed vacation. I'll get to visit Disney World tomorrow night, and eat at some nice restaurants. That'll be nice.

This week has been busy. There's always a lot to do, and... okay, I'll stop. I imagine it gets old hearing me say the same things every day. Work's busy. I'm tired. Too much to do. Blah blah blah. And each of you lovely readers would say the same things, because my life isn't terribly special. Everybody's got a job that gets stressful and hectic. Everybody could use more rest. So why should I waste your time and mine tell you what you already know?

So here's what's out of the ordinary in my world.

--My family's dealing with (or about to deal with) another bit of disappointment. And I want to be strong, and have faith, and be positive. But the only responses I can muster right now are frustration with the situation and God's elusiveness in it, and the rage I feel toward the unrighteous who cause such things to happen. I want to call on God, like the Psalmist did, to be the defender of my family, but for His own unknown reasons He sees fit to strike us. Since I have a hard time being mad at God, I'm focusing my anger on the person "responsible" for this situation. Not necessarily healthy, or justifiably Christ-like. But that's what it is. It sucks. The whole situation sucks.

--I had a bit of a weird health scare a few weeks ago. After a few days, the issue suddenly resolved, and the doctor didn't have any explanations. I have a referral to go get some follow-up tests done, but I almost don't want to (for fear, ironically, that my insurance won't cover it--as well as the fear of finding out something worse). I know I should just make the appointment, but I'm having a hard time with it. Maybe it's the first real time I've confronted my own mortality. I don't know. The thing is, because of my weight, I can't get life insurance, and if something were to happen to me, I'd leave my family with a mess of debt to clean up. I need to have a plan in place to cover that, until I can get the debt taken care of. And until that plan is in place, I really should be more vigilant about my health.

--Last week, I re-read Romans 12:1, and realized that "presenting your body as a living sacrifice" isn't just some spiritual metaphor. It also actually means, "Treat your body as if it belongs to God." Stewardship, in other words. I'm sure if you had told me this in the past, I would have assented. But it took that last time to really have it sink in--taking care of this body IS worship of God. I want to slap myself in the forehead and say "Duh, Dave." So next week, after I return from the conference, it's back to work. For real, this time. Hold me accountable. And you may say, "Dave, that week is Thanksgiving, and the next month will be filled with holiday treats." I know. But if i wait until the new year, I won't get started. Might as well attack this issue at the most inopportune time, so that it's all downhill from there.

--My spiritual life has its ups and downs. Times of strength and good decisions and feeling confident that I'm growing and maturing, and times of weakness, bad decisions, and constantly feeling like I've gotten nowhere. These last few days have been the latter.

--I'm wearing a collared polo-type shirt. Green, blue and white stripes. One of my favorites to wear to work or church. It has an inkstain. I left a pen in the wash a few weeks ago. Twenty-eight years old, and I still leave pens in the wash. I need a wife, if for no other reason that sometimes I just can't be trusted to function on my own. Okay, yeah, and the whole "love" thing.

--My back hurts. I need a new bed. My mattress and box spring are broken down and should have been retired months ago. Five years. It's been a good run.

--It's 12:20. The dryer timer just went off. Time to see if my clothes need another tumble before the bleach load goes in. Just three more cycles. Then sleep for a few hours before I'm up for my flight. Or I make do with the clothes I've got. We'll see if pragmatism wins out.

Say goodnight, Gracie. ("Goodnight, Gracie.")

Pre-Conference Linky Love

2008-11-14T14:39:00.003-06:00

Randomness, GO!

An instructional video for bloggers.
A preview for the upcoming season of LOST, premiering January 21st.
Whenever I tell a lame joke, I hear this in my head.
Apparently Joaquin Phoenix is done with movies. I have to say, I'm terribly, terribly vexed.
I think Joel Hodgson of MST3K is a national treasure. (Okay, maybe I'm overstating, but he's pretty cool nonetheless.)
The King says dudes read books, too. As an avid reader, I concur. (Obviously; otherwise I wouldn't use words like "avid" or "concur.")
This helped ease the post-election pain quite a bit. (Yes, you Obama supporters can laugh too.)
You may have been hearing about the town of Batman, Turkey, suing DC Comics for use of the name "Batman." Well, then there's this guy. He may think he's clever, but signing checks and queuing up to renew his driver's license just got a lot more difficult.
Adam Duritz displays bad judgment. (No, not his hair--jerk.)
Christopher Hitchens tries to pop some of the Obama-euphoria. (He's just biased against messiahs, I think.)
Suddenly Agent Smith doesn't seem as intimidating.
Colbert was robbed and should demand a recount. I guess it goes to show that J. Jonah Jamison was in the tank for Obama, like the rest of the media.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

2008-11-14T08:47:00.001-06:00

I've got a couple of things to post today, but i've gotta do some work first.

Just wanted to check in and say: Be back in a few hours, and--

HOLY. CRAP. SMALLVILLE WAS AWESOME.

Will, you should have stayed an extra hour and watched.

And it wasn't even the bulk of the episode that was so amazing, though I did enjoy "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Chloe."

But the last five minutes or so--daaaaaaaaaang.

And then the trailer for next week--DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG.

Wow. Cannot Wait.

Why Government-Controlled Health Care is A Bad Idea...

2008-11-10T16:42:00.003-06:00

...and can be morally corrupt.

A German doctor was denied residency in Austrailia. Why? Because his mentally disabled son was considered too much of a burden on the system.

Stop and consider that, you who support nationalized healthcare.

The government decided who was WORTHY of their care. And the boy, through no fault of his own, was deemed UNDESIRABLE.

If you aren't chilled by the implications of such a decision, you are utterly blind.

Now tell me that socialized health care is a good idea.

Never forget this: Anything you depend on the government to give you, the government can also take away from you.

[H-T: Say Anything]

Why The Last Season of "Alias" Makes Me Worry About "Lost"

2008-11-10T12:23:00.004-06:00

[Today's post is a discussion about the TV shows "Alias" and "LOST." If you're not interested in these shows, or you don't want to be spoiled about the end of the former, consider this your spoiler warning.]

So I finished watching the TV series "Alias" this weekend, and since I'm doing so, oh, two and a half years later than the rest of the viewing public, I have no one but you darlings to discuss this with.

Actually, the lateness of such viewing is actually convenient, because I can use my thoughts about Alias to discuss the current TV phenomenon, LOST.

For those who are unfamiliar with Alias, a brief primer: Sydney Bristow is a secret agent working (along with her father) as part of a "black ops" division of the CIA--or so she thinks, until one day it is revealed to her that she and others have been victims of a horrible ruse, and her employer SD-6 is actually a terrorist/underworld organization. She goes to the actual CIA with her information, and is tasked to work as a double agent (as her father does) in the hopes of one day taking down this rogue organization.

Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well that's because it is.

But this is really just the plot of the first two seasons. In subsequent years, there are other organizations. As one falls, another takes its place. All manner of tragedy befalls Sydney and those she cares for, including deaths of loved ones (some multiple times), abduction and memory loss, and countless betrayals (seriously, literally dozens and dozens of major betrayals).
Through the entire series, there is a plot constant: the prophecies of ancient Italian visionary Milo Rambaldi (written as a cross between DaVinci and Nostrodamus), whose fifteenth-century predictions include detailed schematics of 21st century technologies and events. The heart of Rambaldi's prophecies, however, involves Sydney herself. She's proven to be "The Chosen One," and holds pretty much the fate of the world in her hands. Multiple times.

From the very beginning, the missions and intrigues of the show involved hunting, discovering, stealing, or stealing back devices that Rambaldi made and hid hundreds of years before. Some are part of a grand machine, others are part of smaller machines that do...random stuff. The point being, there was ALWAYS a Rambaldi device to find, steal, steal back, or destroy.

Some characters refused to accept the prophecies as being true; others blindly followed them, insisting that their destiny was to bring Rambaldi's visions to fulfillment.

By the end of the series, I have to admit I felt like the Rambaldi angle was played out. And when the final showdown was Irena Derevko (Syd's mom, a Soviet double-agent/career manipulator) falling through a skylight trying to reach a sphere full of immortality-elixir, I was left a bit cold. So much of the show swirled around what Rambaldi's endgame was--and then his real endgame--and then his REALLY REAL endgame--until finally it was revealed to be simply about immortality. Seriously? That's what five years has gotten me?

It was a fabulous show with some incredible, expectation-defying moments. But in the end, the promise of a momentous payoff was not kept. Jack (Syd's dad) blows himself up to trap the treacherous Sloane in an underground cavern (where he's stuck for eternity, having been revived by Rambaldi's forever-juice). Irena dies. Marshall and Rachel and the others go on with their lives. And the coda of the episode is Syd and Vaughn walking along the beach with their two kids and their friend and former associate Dixon. The end? Yeah, that's all folks.

So here's why I'm worried about LOST:

Alias was created by J.J. Abrams, who was executive producer of the show. Abrams also created LOST, though the executive producing reins have been handed to Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof. Nevertheless, there are some similarities.

The question of faith vs. doubt: In Alias, the idea being debated was Rambaldi's prophecies and the idea of fate versus choice. In Lost, Jack and Locke are pitted against each other as the man of science and man of faith, and Locke insists that his fate is to stay on the island.

The MacGuffin: Alfred Hitchcock coined the term "macguffin" to describe an object that everyone's seeking or fighting over but whose purpose isn't clearly defined. In the behind-the-scenes features on the Alias DVDs, one of the show's creators admitted that Rambaldi was first created as simply a MacGuffin for the characters to run after, and later became something important or vital to the show. In LOST, the MacGuffin may be the Island itself. Or the Smoke Monster. Or Dharma. Or Jacob. Or the four-toed statue. Or the numbers. Or the Others. In short, there are so many ideas or entities of seemly-vital importance that really haven't been described.

The meaning of it all: For a while it seemed like Alias was moving toward something--an idea or concept that bound the story together. While it was presumably Rambaldi for years, in the end, it was merely... well, there really wasn't an overarching theme. Love? Motherhood? "Truth takes time"? By the time the last episode ended, I wasn't sure there was an overarching theme, other than a few ideas about loyalty, choosing love over power, or maybe the question of fate. In LOST, it seems like there's going to be an overarching idea. There is a story being told. The question that remains is, what story is it, and what does it mean? Only time will tell, I guess. We have 2 more seasons to find out.

===

Maybe I'm being a naysayer. But I really like LOST, and I hope that my final assessment of the series will be better than my feelings about Alias--a great show that promised a monster of a payoff but couldn't deliver on the expectations the first three years created.

I guess on January 21st, we'll find out what happens next.

What do you think? Will Cuse/Lindelof deliver on the hopes fans have for LOST? Or should we start moderating our expectations now?

Coming this week

2008-11-09T22:32:00.003-06:00

I've got three "draft-mode" posts in the kitty already, of topics ranging from politics to personal life to television. I'll have a linky love sometime this week, and then either next week or the following week, I'll begin a series of short discussions of the list I posted on Tuesday night: the principles of America's greatness. I had some questions about what i meant by those, and i want to dig into that a little bit.

So all this to say, some actual really-real postage coming, with few if any videos. I'm finally finding things to say, it seems. How about that.

At last, it comes to an end.

2008-11-04T22:10:00.003-06:00

The election, not the world.

I have a few things to say, in response to tonight's events.

I'm an American. I'm proud to be an American. I'm not going to run off to Canada, like other disgruntled voters have said in the past.

As the incoming results are confirming, Barack Obama is my next president. I will never utter the words "Not My President." Like great men in the military have said, you respect the office/uniform, if not the man. I don't agree with many of his ideals, I'm concerned about his future decisions, but like it or not, he's my president. Like I said four years ago--if you refuse to accept a political defeat, you are rejecting democracy. To paraphrase Hunter Thompson, "ya buys yer ticket and takes yer ride." And American democracy wins.

===

To my friends on the left, I have just a few requests:

Don't just do better; do good.

And please don't forget where America's greatness comes from:

Its freedom from, not just its freedom to.
Its individualism, not its collectivism.
The pursuit of happiness, not the guarantee of it.
The free expression of religion, not the full muzzling of it.
The benevolence of neighbors, not the benefaction of governments.
The value of personal responsibility, not perpetual victimhood.
The core principles of life, liberty, and democracy--values that have been the bedrock of American self-governance since the beginning.
The commitment to nobility, integrity, and courage, from the greatest to the least of us.

Don't lose sight of these things. Embrace these values.

Do good.

===

That's all I have to say. No matter who sits in the White House, God sits on His throne.

I'll say it again, and keep saying it, even if Charlie Rangel doesn't agree with me:

No savior but Jesus.

G'night folks.

What's left to say?

2008-11-03T10:51:00.006-06:00

[Great big snip, here.]

If you read this post before 8:20 PM CST, I'd like to apologize. I'm sorry.

That's not the type of thing I want to display. It was ugly, it was bitter, it was confrontational.

I lost sight of Romans 12:21--Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The "evil" I'm referring to here isn't one candidate or another. It isn't even the followers of one candidate or another. It's the meanness of political invective, and the dark sarcasm I found myself slipping into.

The thing I keep telling people, the thing I need to remind myself, is that while this election has important implications, I believe in something that will last longer than the election, or the presidential term, or this country itself.

I believe that no matter who wins, Jesus is still Lord, the word of God is still true, the Church will withstand not only a Republican or Democrat presidency but even the gates of hell itself, and the Kingdom of God that is both now and not yet will stand forever with Jesus Christ its one and only King. Amen.

So I'm not going to worry. I'm not going to complain. I'm not going to sarcastically assign blame. I'm not going to descend into a dark and nihilistic humour.

Tomorrow, since I have already voted, I will go to the dentist and doctor, get my hair cut and car serviced, watch some "Alias" (season 5, almost done!), and spend the evening with my family, where I will speak only that which is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to the hearers.

Hold me to it, my friends. (And for the record, I've been using that phrase for years before Johnny Mac stole it out from under me. I will not relinquish it, McCain!)

Peace and grace to you, today, tomorrow, and in the days ahead.

[No messiah but Jesus.]

PBB VIDEO(S) OF THE DAY: Don't Vote...At Least Not Because We Told You To

2008-10-31T09:13:00.002-05:00

You may have seen this condescending voting video put together by a bunch of actors and musicians. The smug literally emanates off the screen:

WELL...

Dirty Harry has linked to a response video, which I'm declaring the PBB VIDEO OF THE DAY! (DAAAAY DAAAY DAAAAY DAAAY DAAAAY...):

"They read *lines* for a living!"

Brilliant.

(Yes, I will post a couple more times about the election. Once, over the weekend, and once on next Wednesday. Then we can leave this whole political process behind us for a while.)

UPDATED!

Okay, the RUNNER-UP for PBB VIDEO OF THE DAY! (DAAAAY DAAAY DAAAAY DAAAY DAAAAY...) is a follow-up to the McCain Campaign commercials bit I posted a few days ago. This time, Diablo Cody, David Lynch, and M. Night Shyamalan take a stab at creating a John McCain spot. These vids may be my favorite part of this election season, for rizzle:

I tried writing a Brown-bag Poetry post here...

2008-10-28T16:38:00.002-05:00

...but i had to scrap it. Every phrase came out rusty and false. There was no art to it, no deftness. It was all very obvious, very plain, and I was trying to address subjects best left obscured. I couldn't publish the blatant confessions I had written. And I was embarrassed by my bald attempts at topicality and cleverness.

So no, no poetry until I write something worth putting my name on.

===

...Second attempt at meaningful blogging: also failed. My lines stumble along like Frankenstein's monster, all stiff-legged and groaning.

I'm leaving before I do any damage or throw any villagers down a well.