tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23777984918113594862024-03-13T21:56:47.236-04:00Reflections of RodneyRodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.comBlogger397125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-16318626984528133852018-07-21T13:05:00.001-04:002018-07-21T13:05:29.445-04:00Small Doses of Good<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7QNbDCpwBcU8Groc38FKK2uJFVTbm_IIYzaOF71dn1FnE7y71xW0OQUSc7I-BSVtgIaN_KIOg9D1CP7iZPamh7JpYCGXWFtq2B_plzBw2hg3OlWxmdTRD_tPwAKvUJNrprJDpFOCJic/s1600/Watching+TV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7QNbDCpwBcU8Groc38FKK2uJFVTbm_IIYzaOF71dn1FnE7y71xW0OQUSc7I-BSVtgIaN_KIOg9D1CP7iZPamh7JpYCGXWFtq2B_plzBw2hg3OlWxmdTRD_tPwAKvUJNrprJDpFOCJic/s200/Watching+TV.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was talking with a good friend about TV shows we watched
growing up. And being who I am, the conversation lead to several other tangent
thought processes in my head. The first is the realization that growing up I
didn't have any real male role models. All the men that inspired me and taught
me what it is to be a good man and a good person were all fictional. I learned
a great many things from men like Star Trek: The Next Generation's Captain Jean
Luc Picard, MacGyver, and Quantum Leap's Sam Beckett. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the things I learned from Sam Beckett is that you can
do an unimaginable amount of good in small doses and those doses ripple out and
cause even more good. You may not see those ripples, or the effects they have,
but that good is out there. And, it's out there because of you.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, a friend of mine got married. And like a lot of
people, seeing a close friend getting married is something that got me thinking
about life in general. One of those thoughts was a small dose of good that I
was a part of a few years ago. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was at a friend's party in a quiet room that was away from
the main crowd of people. (I am not a party person, but I was trying to be
social.) The room was intended to be a place for partygoers to rest and drink
before getting back out to dancing and mingling with others, but instead a
group of people just stayed there and talked about random stuff. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One topic that came up was a friend, call him Ray (since I
don't want to give out real names), <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>speaking about his horrible living arrangement
at the time. Ray had broken up with his boyfriend, but was unable to move out
and was stuck sharing a small 1 bedroom apartment with his ex. To make things
worse, he had to witness his ex carry on with other partners almost right in
front of him. Not only that, but this situation caused Ray issues because he
couldn't bring his own dates back to his place since he didn't feel right about
replicating his ex's behavior. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, you're probably wondering my dear readers, how did this
particular topic come up in conversation? Well, Ray was expressing an intense
interest in bringing his current date home with him. The guy Ray was with
seemed amenable to the idea, so everyone in the room was curious as to why Ray
didn't just make the move and take his date home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a little too inebriated, Ray let the
whole story spill out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Upon hearing this, another close friend and I immediately
got up in arms. We spent the next hour or so showing Ray that there was no
reason for him to NOT bring his date home since his ex had no residual feelings
for Ray and was proving it with all the sexual partners he was parading in
front of Ray. And if there was nothing wrong with the ex moving on, the same
logic applied to Ray. After awhile, we managed to convince Ray to get over his
hesitations and take his date home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
party ended, and that was the last I heard of the situation until a couple
years later. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was another random get together and that party came up
in conversation, including the fact that my friend and I convinced Ray to take
the date home with him. And that's when we found out that Ray and his date hit
it off so much that they were getting married! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4ZHTuMYswkY2jn8vMldxRIlwUAV463z81y73nNwRZR52JoWfp06W8O_6_ppwSdwqp78_vTS6s-FUqDoXoGD6pDNsOKcuHnNqu19hz-LFosRhv5BsddK43F4Yap8F8mVMOd0sdI95lFI/s1600/online_dating_regular_dating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="347" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4ZHTuMYswkY2jn8vMldxRIlwUAV463z81y73nNwRZR52JoWfp06W8O_6_ppwSdwqp78_vTS6s-FUqDoXoGD6pDNsOKcuHnNqu19hz-LFosRhv5BsddK43F4Yap8F8mVMOd0sdI95lFI/s320/online_dating_regular_dating.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a small dose of good and I hope that the love and joy
that Ray and his husband have is rippling out to others. </div>
Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-68401552402317780932018-02-12T14:02:00.000-05:002018-02-12T14:02:07.708-05:00Re-evaluating Where I Stand With Myself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_hyphenhyphen4ZPoLLkBwE2onq7pAi6SN50NhcD7g67oGPwkujTeUfxgiK765j07_Z6ovHeHF7t7rUESYsfJqX2Ep_7UhOz34Psr690i3x05iyrL-c2C4o_aeNGW2DeKmpCynv2yzOY8NuBhJVB4/s1600/mirror+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_hyphenhyphen4ZPoLLkBwE2onq7pAi6SN50NhcD7g67oGPwkujTeUfxgiK765j07_Z6ovHeHF7t7rUESYsfJqX2Ep_7UhOz34Psr690i3x05iyrL-c2C4o_aeNGW2DeKmpCynv2yzOY8NuBhJVB4/s200/mirror+01.jpg" width="200" /></a>Ever since I understood what psychological issues were and that I had a great many, I knew that my demons were smarter than me. They know exactly what to whisper in my head to crack and collapse any feelings of light, warmth or love in me. And they have been working in my head long before I knew they were there and knew enough to combat them in any meaningful way. Every once in awhile, I come across a long standing source of pain. And recent events in my life have uncovered one.<br />
<br />
I have been going through a lot recently. The events themselves don't really need to be discussed here, but they have prompted me to re-evaluate a great many widely held ideas. You know, clear out all the unimportant clutter in my head and really get down to the core ideals that I really take to heart. Without all the complications that corrupt and corrode those ideals. Given the time of year, a lot of these thoughts have to do with romantic ideals.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwSIr-5YEBf2PnshyphenhyphenhmxzdmbNQEUNyAq1ItVqFgfUKpkZ4qSi3wJcbJAtrHISCuSXVLbcuD98GgxiE4D2LU_0XbAbfw4Ayki_youccw2dNStHBO6dqqCu6IVN7660FiN5Jlk_iiQBsE8/s1600/love_hurts-normal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwSIr-5YEBf2PnshyphenhyphenhmxzdmbNQEUNyAq1ItVqFgfUKpkZ4qSi3wJcbJAtrHISCuSXVLbcuD98GgxiE4D2LU_0XbAbfw4Ayki_youccw2dNStHBO6dqqCu6IVN7660FiN5Jlk_iiQBsE8/s200/love_hurts-normal.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
As far as I can remember, I've hated this time of year. I mean since I was a little kid and forced to give those little valentine's day cards to all my classmates. The same classmates that made fun of me the whole year because of my size and my intelligence were suddenly supposed to receive a token of affection from me? And me from them?? As I got older, I added more and more reasons.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>It's a fake holiday trying to commercialize romance</li>
<li>It's a yearly reminder of the fact that I'm single</li>
<li>It's a yearly reminder of the fact that I've never been in a relationship during this time of year (other times, yes, but NEVER on Feb 14th)</li>
<li>There's no escaping it: stores, movies, TV shows, the radio, and the internet all explode with "romance" this time of year.</li>
<li>Given the holiday's history of violence, it makes no sense to celebrate it with cards, flowers, and chocolate.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Sound familiar?<br />
<br />
And while those reasons have valid facts to back them up, they are nothing more than a shield. A facade covering up the real reason I am dissatisfied with this time of year. After all, let's be real: who in their right mind is against being in love with someone?? So, what is the real reason?<br />
<br />
Well, I'm a creature of logic. And despite what people believe, love and emotions have their own rules and systems of logic. So, we'll start with the most powerful reason I hate Valentine's Day and unpack the logic from there. And yes, this is a basic transcription of a mental conversation I had with myself a few days ago.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlx8rFGr_qFdpNhCIXXMyJSFtXSyPamgE1bILwli4426n8JEP3kqMWMXRYNAwXL8oQm8MC5gOWpfNPKvg7tg2vVsMLMPNBnx_RA5patHPskfT55viUzXzdRhx9ab48OdnYm_pzhX6ong/s1600/frustrated-man1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlx8rFGr_qFdpNhCIXXMyJSFtXSyPamgE1bILwli4426n8JEP3kqMWMXRYNAwXL8oQm8MC5gOWpfNPKvg7tg2vVsMLMPNBnx_RA5patHPskfT55viUzXzdRhx9ab48OdnYm_pzhX6ong/s200/frustrated-man1.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rejected too often...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I hate Valentine's Day because it's a yearly reminder that I'm single. Why?<br />
<br />
Because I don't date. Why not?<br />
<br />
Because I don't ask women out on dates. Why not?<br />
<br />
Because I've been rejected too many times and I don't want to go through that again. Why do women reject you? <br />
<br />
Because women don't find me attractive enough to date. Why?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuFaYqft10wVdmST4stWpGoN7eMm2_Fj7fxZtyRsoyQMJIfPmC8xpgkXwHmY14Fzjmkphnj235EqTnZkQTcvpHMQTFQlWrAHEirsTAL6GTDTh4f8BBQVphCx9VmuxqvWI9ZC7BCPrAgA/s1600/Frustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="400" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuFaYqft10wVdmST4stWpGoN7eMm2_Fj7fxZtyRsoyQMJIfPmC8xpgkXwHmY14Fzjmkphnj235EqTnZkQTcvpHMQTFQlWrAHEirsTAL6GTDTh4f8BBQVphCx9VmuxqvWI9ZC7BCPrAgA/s200/Frustration.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not worth it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, to be attractive, women have to like to look at me. That is the literal definition of the word "attractive". And I don't put effort into my appearance. Why?<br />
<br />
Because it's too much effort. Why is it too much effort?<br />
<br />
Because there is no chance of it working. Why?<br />
<br />
Because even if I did put in the effort, it wouldn't work. Why not?<br />
<br />
Because the problem is me. Why are you the problem?<br />
<br />
Because I'm not worth it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rsg6HReclqtck4emN0axnoyPkQ4DBJ2Ln2bb0rju4MYN4EHfkJspK_bJigZ67uj7ePJcMkTGY-fvkb-bdk3PlGIN2IINLFxGMoSIGF6dv0DiBj2bK1p5faiXyL1aXlUcSo5OSBm7cm8/s1600/frustration.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="640" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rsg6HReclqtck4emN0axnoyPkQ4DBJ2Ln2bb0rju4MYN4EHfkJspK_bJigZ67uj7ePJcMkTGY-fvkb-bdk3PlGIN2IINLFxGMoSIGF6dv0DiBj2bK1p5faiXyL1aXlUcSo5OSBm7cm8/s200/frustration.preview.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BOOM!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
BOOM!! At that moment, my mind exploded. So many ideas, thoughts, and memories flooded my consciousness that even now, almost a full week later, I don't fully remember all of it.<br />
<br />
Much to my surprise, I found out that at the core of my mind, I honestly believe that I'm not worth being loved. Also surprising was my reaction to that realization. Rather than just blindly accepting it and diving into some dark depression (as I would normally do when my demons talk to me), I kind of leaned back and asked: Wait, why not? I'm a good guy. Flawed but a good man, why don't I deserve to be loved by someone? And my demons had no answer. Now that I think of it, most of my successes come when I out-think my demons. This was one of those times.<br />
<br />
I don't know when that idea got planted in my head or where it came from. But my demons hid it deep and hid it long, long ago. And I know this because that final realization didn't feel new. I could see so many choices made, and opportunities missed because of that thought.<br />
<br />
Now, don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean that I'm instantly healed and have become an upbeat, perky person. I've still endured a great deal of trauma and those memories and their effects didn't just evaporate. And it doesn't really end the issue of self worth, either. But those issues don't have quite the same power over me. So, how does this relate to my earlier statements?<br />
<br />
I am worthy of being loved, and I must convey that to the people whom I encounter. How?<br />
<br />
By showing that I love myself. How?<br />
<br />
By taking care of myself. How?<br />
<br />
By putting in effort to change my appearance. How?<br />
Eating better foods.<br />
Working to change bad habits mentally and physically.<br />
Working to lose weight. <br />
<br />
To what end?<br />
<br />
To be more in line with established norms of what people, specifically women, find attractive. Now, I understand that people shouldn't be judged by appearance and that includes me. Who I am and how I act and treat others is an essential part of this. But my personality, negative though it may be, has never really been a problem.<br />
<br />
And despite what we like to believe, when it comes to romance, there's always a component of physical attraction based on appearance, both socially and biologically. We all tell ourselves that we would still love our significant others if they looked different, but deep down we all know that an integral part of their appeal is their looks. Even if it's just a single feature.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pQTKM8d-A_R5r4Vd-YwateqBSLWKFSg1aqMouzcT_CkZiSxsPpkjUscntXud2GubA5ErKQzSqP9KYO2IWsrojQ5LS-jIaRtC2SKHkN2fVik8K8BswzdyZfxruvy7sI0BXDKHOdjlB9s/s1600/romantic+couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pQTKM8d-A_R5r4Vd-YwateqBSLWKFSg1aqMouzcT_CkZiSxsPpkjUscntXud2GubA5ErKQzSqP9KYO2IWsrojQ5LS-jIaRtC2SKHkN2fVik8K8BswzdyZfxruvy7sI0BXDKHOdjlB9s/s1600/romantic+couple.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some day she will be with me...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And to be completely honest, my dear readers, given all the crap that women go through to meet social ideals of beauty and attractiveness, as best they can, it's really a small ask of me to meet some basic criteria of physical fitness. Plus there is another aspect of to this as well. The willingness to do this is not only a sign that I am worth the effort to look attractive to others. But is also a sign that the woman of my dreams is worth the effort it takes for me to be the best version of myself.<br />
<br />
Tell me what you think, my dear readers, in the comments below.Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-86145110046783523242018-02-09T15:05:00.000-05:002018-02-09T15:05:42.988-05:00Top 5... Favorite Movie DirectorsThe problem with having friends who are movie buffs is when I get questions like, "Who are your top 5 favorite movie directors?" The question itself doesn't really pose a problem per se. No, the problem comes from my obsessive nature not being able to let go of the question until I answer it. No matter WHAT it is that I am doing.<br />
<br />
The other concern is that there are many ways to analyze movie directors. But rather than go down the rabbit hole of which director has better shot composition or is a better visual storyteller, I decided to look at it by what "favorite" means. For me, favorite means movies I enjoyed and would re-watch as opposed to technically superior movies. So, while there are directors outside my list that have made fantastic, and critically acclaimed movies, these directors have made the movies that have connected with me.<br />
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When I initially came up with this list, I didn't give an explanation as to why, just a list of movies that I liked, because I feel the movies speak for themselves. However, that doesn't really convey what those movies mean TO ME! So, I will add a bit of explanation for each choice while also including the movies that I loved.<br />
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So, in no particular order....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSpKTLlzBoRcpw3Q1x_PBTu6wc8o1K-CtbA9qIOlmE4rF3X23c8VelFLGFgCS_EMLTplzyO9TvL43TJzSud9Nlc8ijM2njjs4Kc_z6IPfNftILE3bzPyMwiOz1UgkytOAhctVAjdZC44/s1600/Ridley+Scott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSpKTLlzBoRcpw3Q1x_PBTu6wc8o1K-CtbA9qIOlmE4rF3X23c8VelFLGFgCS_EMLTplzyO9TvL43TJzSud9Nlc8ijM2njjs4Kc_z6IPfNftILE3bzPyMwiOz1UgkytOAhctVAjdZC44/s200/Ridley+Scott.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
Ridley Scott - The thing with Ridley Scott is that he is an EXCELLENT world builder. Not only is he good at telling stories, but he is also able to create these beautiful, rich worlds that almost instantaneously bring you to believe there is so much more happening than just what you are watching. I can see him going back into any of his movies and telling more stories.<br />
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Examples Include: Legend, Alien, Prometheus, The Martian, Blade Runner, Kingdom of Heaven, Matchstick Men, HANNIBAL!!, Gladiator, GI Jane<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50_YFSOz8BBzCTYEeXFkPTzfrriJvCgAG8WmKuN3dHVNH2i4nUsCm_tmRvk9lbmrYBK22x80JrYxoGbauuqXzGO1kNJy5rAEMOzcsc-NZqt-NLLoDATLqVfuZ7qP7yG4Rlz_8MRpvwdA/s1600/Robert+Zemekis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="289" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50_YFSOz8BBzCTYEeXFkPTzfrriJvCgAG8WmKuN3dHVNH2i4nUsCm_tmRvk9lbmrYBK22x80JrYxoGbauuqXzGO1kNJy5rAEMOzcsc-NZqt-NLLoDATLqVfuZ7qP7yG4Rlz_8MRpvwdA/s200/Robert+Zemekis.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Robert Zemekis - What I love most about Robert Zemekis' movies is the fascinating people that populate his movies. Now granted, some of that is due to the writers, but Zemekis just has a knack for telling these great stories with people who are just fascinating to watch.<br />
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Examples Include: The Walk, Flight, Castaway, What Lies Beneath, Contact, Back To The Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Romancing the Stone<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_GBog_fjyDjU-8kZQSE3R4xfC45lvyvECqtqnyIBAFZ4u9AOixOva9fLY-Rr2hHZHWO0eHHqguhJkpiRqKDXhl5F8NzwlbZGsX9dNgoay8YSthF26BhliE-ke3smH5EeiMp2FgCafmo/s1600/Christopher+Nolan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_GBog_fjyDjU-8kZQSE3R4xfC45lvyvECqtqnyIBAFZ4u9AOixOva9fLY-Rr2hHZHWO0eHHqguhJkpiRqKDXhl5F8NzwlbZGsX9dNgoay8YSthF26BhliE-ke3smH5EeiMp2FgCafmo/s200/Christopher+Nolan.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
Christopher Nolan - Christopher Nolan just challenges me. I found him after years of watching movies, and found his story choices, and capacity for telling mind-bendingly complex stories incredibly fun. A lot of people shy away from his movies because they don't quite connect with them, but I've loved every Nolan film I've seen.<br />
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Examples Include: Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, INCEPTION!!, The Dark Knight Trilogy<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OEPhWDtmRr9fOwvG68SlNfp9HFwwBTpUaslg7XDVriCrlp69BfJNtzNtvhmiqiVmdrG6p53LDrury2vy5xzs8yn6X6Jbsbw0tVJ0OJsh4Qq-FG9itmm4_SNTNA66zNssKuTc90hSoZk/s1600/spielberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="194" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OEPhWDtmRr9fOwvG68SlNfp9HFwwBTpUaslg7XDVriCrlp69BfJNtzNtvhmiqiVmdrG6p53LDrury2vy5xzs8yn6X6Jbsbw0tVJ0OJsh4Qq-FG9itmm4_SNTNA66zNssKuTc90hSoZk/s200/spielberg.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
Spielberg - That's right. This man has gone SINGLE NAME! He's now just Spielberg. This is a director I can say I grew up with. I've been watching Spielberg movies since I was a kid, and he rarely disappoints. Spielberg somehow knows how to make movies that I just fall in love with. The story, the visual effects, the camera work... All of it combines to create this new thing that is just endlessly compelling. And as I have gotten older and more seasoned, Spielberg's films have gotten darker and more compelling.<br />
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Examples include: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Indiana Jones Trilogy(there is no 4), The Color Purple, Hook, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park 1 & 2, Amistad, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Bridge of Spies<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgre28wDGdS4qrFOjndRxC3MOog7TO5EAip5taiwyGCnNa5wL7Zesszb6fe7qoXIVgnNszTUx0zdwIM3GCs0du_WBYiyfbpsnC2Cy2ZTtKd4SuSlreDS45i6RAsEKGwTqqtsE_H49Pdaek/s1600/Ron+Howard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="184" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgre28wDGdS4qrFOjndRxC3MOog7TO5EAip5taiwyGCnNa5wL7Zesszb6fe7qoXIVgnNszTUx0zdwIM3GCs0du_WBYiyfbpsnC2Cy2ZTtKd4SuSlreDS45i6RAsEKGwTqqtsE_H49Pdaek/s200/Ron+Howard.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
Ron Howard - Now, I mentioned how Robert Zemekis' movies are populated with fascinating people. Ron Howard is the same ball park, where he has these endlessly fascinating people in his movies, but he adds these intense, emotionally compelling stories that just blow the roof of my mind. Ron Howard's movies are all about how people who start out great become legendary because of the unimaginable capacity of the human spirit that is unlocked by the extraordinary circumstances these people endure. You don't watch Ron Howard's movies. You live them.<br />
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Examples Include: Splash, Cocoon, Gung Ho, Willow, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon, Angels & Demons, Rush<br />
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And here are some honorable mentions: (Full Disclosure: I had to update this since my friend asked me the initial question.)<br />
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Richard Donner - Fun, iconic movies with characters that feel more like family than people in the movies. Examples:The Omen, Superman, Superman 2, The Toy, LadyHawke, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon Series, Scrooged, Assassins, Conspiracy Theory, 16 Blocks<br />
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Tim Burton - Delightfully weird and playfully dark films that made me feel okay to be an outcast. Examples: Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Batman Returns, Big Fish, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd<br />
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John McTiernan - Action movies that don't just throw away the story. Intense action, fun stories, and real grounded people. Examples: Die Hard 1 & 3, Predator, Hunt For Red October, Last Action Hero, Thomas Crown Affair<br />
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<br />Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-37220999254629470592017-08-02T22:05:00.000-04:002017-08-02T22:05:32.544-04:00The Return of An Obsession...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Awhile back, I signed up for this service called Loot Crate. For a monthly fee, Loot Crate sends you a bunch of stuff related to geek culture for a specific topic. Two years ago, I received (for the first time since I signed up) a novel. I have to admit, I looked at the cover and then just put it aside for a couple months. Then one day, I was bored and decided to give the book a shot. What followed was one of the most enjoyable reads of my life.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The novel is called Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It takes place in a near future where everyone has gotten into this virtual world called OASIS. The story follows Wade watts, a teenager who has devoted his life to winning a digital contest with puzzles based in the pop culture of the 1980s. Winning this contest would mean a massive fortune and a level of power unprecedented in Wade's life. But when he finds the first clue, he starts to realize just how dangerous this contest really is.<br />
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To say I loved this book is to say the Pacific ocean is big. For a long time after reading this book, I was OBSESSED with it. I tried charting all the 80s references in the book, but never got them all. I recommended it to all my friends. Even those who aren't sci-fi fans. After awhile, I calmed down about it, and Ready Player One became a new entry in my Most Treasured Books of All Time list.<br />
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A couple months later, I found out that Ernest Cline was in talks to turn the book into a movie. And for a moment, I thought that would be AMAZING! But then I realized that it would be prohibitively expensive. It would most likely cost tens of millions of dollars just to LICENSE all the properties referenced in the book. Add to the licensing budget, the cost of actually FILMING the movie, and marketing the movie, and I quickly convinced myself that there was NO WAY a studio would ever cover the cost to make this movie. Ready Player one was destined to just be a novel.<br />
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Then Hollywood announced that Steven Spielberg signed on as director.<br />
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My jaw hit the floor! They literally got the ONLY man alive with the near God-like clout that would be needed to make this movie. Hell, Spielberg either was a creator of, or best friends with the creator of probably 80% of the content referenced in the book! If he couldn't get deals on the licensing fees, NO ONE could.<br />
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As for whether or not he could make the film, please. Spielberg is a God among directors. His smart phone videos of his kids falling over would receive Oscars. Just look at this list of films: The BFG, Bridge of Spies, Munich, The Terminal, Minority Report, Amistad, Jurassic Park 1 and 2, Hook, Schindler's List, The Indiana Jones movies, The Color Purple, Empire of The Sun, E. mutha-effin' T., man!! And those are just the ones I can remember while writing this, and that just what he directed. As a producer? Real Steel, The Lovely Bones, Memoirs of a Geisha, Band of Brothers, etc... So, yes, he can make the film.<br />
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Spielberg has Ernest Cline working on the script, so I had no doubt this movie was going to be amazing. And now they released the first trailer! See if you can find all the references:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z-vGWwRF_Qc" width="560"></iframe>
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I just finished re-reading the book because of that trailer. When this movie comes out, I will be in theaters watching it. Opening Weekend, my hand to Spielberg or may the Sixers take my OASIS rig! In the mean time, let me just pop in my quarter and start the game...<br />
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<br />Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-82718179443090888322017-07-11T13:41:00.000-04:002017-07-11T13:41:46.072-04:00Magic On YouTube<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love performing magic. I got bit with the bug when I was a little kid watching a show called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_One_Television" target="_blank">Square One TV</a> where they had a segment called Backstage with Blackstone. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Blackstone_Jr." target="_blank">Harry Blackstone Jr</a>, a very well respected magician, would perform a trick and then teach how it was done demonstrating some mathematics principle. In the intervening years, I kept an interest in magic. I will admit, life took some major turns and performing magic was placed on the back burner for a long time. But my interest never fully went away.<br />
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Recently, I found a website called <a href="http://www.ellusionist.com/" target="_blank">Ellusionist</a>, and in looking at some of their stuff, my interest in magic was re-kindled. In looking through their promotional materials and tutorials, I found I enjoyed the videos of one particular magician, <a href="http://www.chris-ramsay.com/" target="_blank">Chris Ramsay</a>. I've watched a great many of his videos, both vlogs and tutorials. He seems like a really cool guy, and I find his style is very effective AND entertaining.<br />
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Last night, I watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU9_NN2bdBY" target="_blank">a video</a> he posted where he went on a bit of a rant about the exposing of magic on YouTube. Apparently, he had gotten some negative feedback from people about putting magic tutorials online. I've linked to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU9_NN2bdBY" target="_blank">the video</a>, so you can watch it yourself. In short, my reaction is I completely agree with Mr. Ramsay.<br />
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To get a bit more in depth, I find it hilarious that there are people out there who think the instruction of magic should be relegated to just in person or by reading tricks in books. <br />
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There was a time when people thought books were the death of human knowledge. In fact, one of the most respected philosophers of ALL TIME, Socrates, was a huge hater of books. So much so, that he never wrote anything down. It's only because of one of his students, Plato, that we even KNOW about him.<br />
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In a BBC/Discovery Channel special on the history of magic, I learned that magicians were thought to be in league with the devil (and were to be killed as such), until someone wrote the first book on how to perform magic illusions.<br />
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Think about that for a moment. The very thing that was thought of as the death of knowledge, culture, and art became a life saving instrument. Teaching magic LITERALLY saved people's lives.<br />
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Since that first book was written, humanity has learned so much about how to effectively teach stuff to people. The two biggest things is that most people learn by SEEING and people learn best in small chunks. This makes YouTube videos the PERFECT medium to teach magic. And so, after thousands of years of technological advancement, we finally have what is arguably the BEST way to instruct people how to perform magic properly in both method AND showmanship, and we're not supposed to use it? Are you kidding me?<br />
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However, YouTube is a double edged sword. The best thing about YouTube is the sheer amount of content. Magic tutorials are buried under cat videos, celebrity gossip videos, movie trailers, and so much more. Someone would have to be dedicated enough to actually hunt down magic tutorials to find them. So, the precious secrecy of the art is protected under a massive amount of noise.<br />
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And yet, the very noise that protects the secrecy of magic is also a problem. Because even if you limit your YouTube searches to just "magic tutorials", there is still a MASSIVE amount of content. And believe me when I tell you, not all of it is quality stuff. <br />
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This is another point where I completely agree with Mr. Ramsay's comments. The "powers that be" in the magic industry need to present quality, properly credited content on YouTube. This will allow for the proper accreditation of techniques and appropriate financial compensation for the innovators of the industry. And, quality content will also prevent a degradation of quality in performances, which helps preserve the art form.<br />
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Speaking of preservation, any expert will tell you, part of maintaining any art is keeping the history of that art intact and including it as part of whatever updated, modern learning medium is being used. Keeping the historical significance of any art form at the forefront of any new learning is vital to said art form's preservation.<br />
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There is no way to prevent people from posting magic tutorials.Be it good or bad, people are going to do it. But if there are a series of quality postings, with proper crediting, and linking to further information (either other videos, eBooks, a more in-depth website, or print books), you can SIMULTANEOUSLY preserve the art form AND make strides to evolve the industry to appeal to an entire new generation of audience members, magic enthusiasts, and yes, future magicians.<br />
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What do you think, my dear readers? Should magic only be taught in books or is YouTube a viable option for learning this art? Sound off in the comments below!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-44370362354806784272017-07-06T15:31:00.000-04:002017-07-06T15:32:07.300-04:00The Friend Zone Re-ImaginedToday, I read <a href="https://www.dailydot.com/irl/teen-titans-david-slack-friend-zone/" target="_blank">an article</a> that brought into question something that I hadn't really considered in a long time: the idea of the friend zone. Before you start rolling your eyes, let me explain. This isn't one of my "woe is me" rants about my bad luck with women. This is about the whole idea of "the friend zone" itself. Apparently, I've been out of touch because the article I read presented the idea that "the friend zone" as a misogynistic idea. I've linked to <a href="https://www.dailydot.com/irl/teen-titans-david-slack-friend-zone/" target="_blank">the article</a> so you can read it yourself, but here's a quote:<br />
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[The friend zone is] the outdated, consistently refuted notion that people, usually women, somehow owe their friends, usually men, romantic or physical intimacy for the time and energy invested into the friendship. The “friend zone” also implies some sort of entrapment executed by women, as well as resentment held by the men “stuck” in such a zone and unable to express their feelings without being rejected. </blockquote>
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In other words, the friend zone is a total myth implying that women are to be valued for what they can offer men, instead of for who they are as people.</blockquote>
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In a million years, I would have NEVER believed the above statement could be said about the friend zone.<br />
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I've always believed that there's always a chance for a romantic connection with with any woman I meet. Granted, there are some women with whom I would prefer a romantic connection more than others, but there's always a chance. When a woman turns me down romantically, but still chooses to spend time with me, I feel like I was "friend zoned". This means she feels that I am someone she can have fun spending time with, but there's no romantic chemistry.<br />
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I tried, and she said no. Any residual emotion is mine to handle and not the purview of the woman in question. I could choose to continue to spend time with her and become a good friend with no further promise of anything romantic, which I have done; or I could choose to separate myself from her and continue with my life, which I have also done.<br />
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There is no entrapment, and the women I usually feel this with are people that I value MORE than average. Hence why I would attempt to initiate a romantic relationship with them. And why it would sting when they don't feel the same way.<br />
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And by the way, I've always thought of the Friend Zone as a unisex concept. There are TONS of examples of women being "friend zoned" by the people with whom they want to be in a romantic relationship. Granted, in the media, it's displayed mostly as men being friend zoned by women, but the media also mostly displays men as romantic/sexual initiators as well so perhaps it's a "per capita" kind of thing.<br />
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I'm someone who tries to keep a flexible mind. There are concepts that I think are absolute and unshakable, but I remain open to challenge and re-examine those ideas. This helps me grow as a person as well as gain deeper understanding of the concepts with which I build my world view. Now, that world view has no bearing on anyone else, but in communicating with people that world view becomes more sophisticated allowing me to navigate the challenges of life more effectively. It also helps me be a better person and friend to those I care about.<br />
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I care about women, both in general, and specifically those in my life. In this era of shifting definitions and roles, I find it disturbing that I could be promoting a misogynistic idea. However, I don't believe this article to be correct. But I could be wrong. Sound off in the comments below!<br />
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What do you think of the friend zone?Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-68052340619938018902017-02-14T20:31:00.001-05:002017-02-14T20:31:42.105-05:00Love Songs for Valentine's Day 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Six years ago, I tried to go against my cynical and practical nature and be more positive about this time of year. For some unknown reason (heart ache, pain, rejection, loneliness, etc..), it didn't stick. After a few hours, I reverted back to my old slightly critical views on romantic love, and relationships. To be completely honest, I will admit that I am someone who tends to lean more towards the negative side of things. After all, if you're always expecting bad stuff, when the bad stuff comes you're ready and if good stuff comes you are pleasantly surprised. It's not MY fault that there have been fewer surprises than bad stuff. That's just how the cookie crumbles.<br />
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But, right now, I'm in a period of transition. I'm trying to better myself. I'm working on being more healthy, improving my technical skills, and relating to people in a more positive and upbeat way. Given the time of year, the best way to express this is with the opposite of my customary track list where I hunt down the most upbeat and anti-love music in recent history, and go with more pro-love music choices.<br />
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This nearly killed me, since I was trying to get some modern choices in here as well, and I'm not really a fan of modern love songs, but I have come up with a new pro-love track list. Here is the list:<br />
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Love Songs for Valentine's Day 2017</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv4UNBksL6E" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">01 - Shai - If I Ever Fall In Love (acapella)</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25rL-ooWICU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">02 - All-4-One - I Swear</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXvMT_mVbqw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">03 - K-Ci & JoJo - All My Life</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaEBcaLchxU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">04 - Peter Cetera - Glory Of Love</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpT-FW_G8-A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">05 - Shania Twain - Forever And For Always (Red Version)</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsfj9j0kjoU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">06 - Whitney Houston & Enrique Iglesias - Could I have This Kiss Forever</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQnAxOQxQIU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">07 - Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJXrQSIaj3o" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">08 - Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8dYpp0Pj5k" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">09 - John Mayer - Your Body Is A Wonderland</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nntd2fgMUYw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">10 - Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG_l40pdPEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">11 - Tyrese - Lately</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COiIC3A0ROM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">12 - Al Green - Let's Stay Together</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjwZAa2EjKA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">13 - Katy Perry - Unconditionally</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofA3URC1wyk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">14 - Bryan Adams, Sting, Rod Stewart - All For Love</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajp0Uaw4rqo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">15 - UB40 - (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gz_dk2XGzQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">16 - Max Million - Sexual Healing</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecwJs2gB7zQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">17 - Savage Garden - Chained To You</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JCLY0Rlx6Q" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">18 - Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCkgYhtz64U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">19 - Huey Lewis & The News - The Power of Love</a></div>
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So, what do you think? Did you like the list? Did I get any of your favorites? Did I miss any good ones? Sound off in the comments below!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-75544334943620769812016-08-26T11:53:00.000-04:002016-08-26T11:53:50.091-04:00Movie Review: Suicide Squad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dXSiQvySMcIq9W3OHaZo23V-L61KXFfocK0mJLYEVzZ1kCTnE6S65l_2vpUb30ZqSZUqDTpMocvyRUfw_MJ5fvHocxCZm7u5hmjxdj7oo30Qm2GyT7oZsSgvJpWh9VxiZA0j1jcUyCs/s1600/Suicide+Squad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dXSiQvySMcIq9W3OHaZo23V-L61KXFfocK0mJLYEVzZ1kCTnE6S65l_2vpUb30ZqSZUqDTpMocvyRUfw_MJ5fvHocxCZm7u5hmjxdj7oo30Qm2GyT7oZsSgvJpWh9VxiZA0j1jcUyCs/s1600/Suicide+Squad.jpg" /></a></div>
Despite major failures on the part of Warner Bros. and the D.C. Comics movie division, I actually went to watch the Suicide Squad. Here's the thing, I'm a DC comics fan. I like the stories they tell, even if I don't always agree with HOW they tell those stories. And when I heard that a Suicide Squad movie was being made, I was excited. In this era, where they are taking comic book movies seriously, this movie would be nothing short of AMAZING! Then I watched Batman vs Superman, and my faith in the studio died. But, I still had a glimmer of hope. Suicide Squad could still be the intense, tour de force film that brings DC to the top of comic book movies! I'm sorry to say, it wasn't.<br />
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Overall, the movie was okay. It was a nice bit of escapist fluff, which is the problem. The key thing to a lot of DC story telling is that they are rooted in philosophical questions. In the Suicide Squad comics, there were always several fundamental questions asked of the reader:<br />
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-- Are the members of the Suicide Squad really villains?<br />
-- What does it really mean to be a villain?<br />
-- Is there a difference between being Bad & being Evil?<br />
-- When good guys fail, does it make sense to send bad guys to fight Evil?<br />
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Those questions, along with the action and personal issues of the individual characters, make the Suicide Squad comics really intense reading. And while I wasn't expecting all of these questions to be tackled in the movie, I was expecting SOME of them to be handled. No such luck. There was maybe 60 seconds of screen time to the issue and then nothing.<br />
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This is not to say that the characters didn't develop throughout the movie. But the development was done in the COMPLETELY WRONG direction. After the pre-requisite "this is why they are bad ass bad guys" montage, they spent the rest of the movie trying to make them heroes, which doesn't make sense and makes the movie fall flat. The whole premise of the film is that we're watching VILLAINS take on the big bad. So why are you trying to make them heroes?<br />
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As for the individual members of the team:<br />
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Harley Quinn - I loved Margot Robbie's portrayal of Harley. Despite what many, many reviews of this movie has said, she was NOT overly sexualized or trivialized at all. There have been comic panels of Harley that qualify as straight up PORN. In this movie, her portrayal was tame. And that scene where the Joker hands her off to another criminal as a prize, if you actually pay attention to the scene, she was the bait in a trap! The Joker had every intention of KILLING that man from the moment he sat down. Joker has never, and will never, EVER willingly give up Harley. It's actually one of Harley's major problems in the future. While we're on the subject...<br />
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Joker - I loved Jared Leto's Joker. There were some homages to past portrayals which was nice to see. But I liked this charismatic criminal messiah that Leto interpreted him as. For huge portion of his run in the comics, the Joker was "the Clown Prince of Crime". With that, he was able to sway people to work for him and do his bidding. That charisma is what pulled Dr. Harleen Quinzel, PhD into his orbit. They displayed that charisma exceedingly well which is a refreshing change from the intense focus on Joker's insanity. Eventually, the Joker/Harley relationship becomes abusive as hell. But this movie was about the beginning of that relationship, it's "golden era" as it were. We got to see what it was that made Harley love the Joker and the degradation of that relationship will be all the more powerful because now we've seen where it comes from. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYqVwp_7KNhB02tNanqWqAV7NeXbu4Lr_JEsBkRLxBFptS0X7eFcGRIB9aNIUNZTnV0y3Ae04IPN9jy9z5VZrU_CpDQnhyphenhyphenXj5J6CFcLHublBHNRC0Ps80CBTBEgh-WJoxWGH6psG_XzU/s1600/Boomerang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYqVwp_7KNhB02tNanqWqAV7NeXbu4Lr_JEsBkRLxBFptS0X7eFcGRIB9aNIUNZTnV0y3Ae04IPN9jy9z5VZrU_CpDQnhyphenhyphenXj5J6CFcLHublBHNRC0Ps80CBTBEgh-WJoxWGH6psG_XzU/s200/Boomerang.jpg" width="134" /></a><br />
Captain Boomerang - As the comic relief, Capt Boomerang was simply fantastic. From his ill-advised advances towards Katana to his general behavior on the squad, he brought a lot of the fun to this movie. ( I would love to see him in a buddy cop movie with Resident Evil's Barry Burton!)<br />
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Killer Croc - He didn't have much to do in the film, which is a shame, since he is a much underrated character. But for what his part was, he was awesome. Creepy as hell, and unapologetically vicious.<br />
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Diablo - He was great. His story arc was the best of all in the Squad. He was believably funny, understandably damaged and reluctant to use his powers.<br />
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Deadshot - I really wish they had gotten Deadshot right. He was the single biggest disappointment of the whole movie. Will Smith is a fantastic actor, but despite my initial elation at his casting, he was the wrong choice for the role. Deadshot is someone who is cold, calculating, and professional. Someone good enough to be receiving one million per hit should not have the mannerisms of a common street thug. The DC TV universe version (on Arrow) was a MUCH truer portrayal of the character.<br />
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Rick Flag - There's not much to say about Flag. He was basically a typical by-the-book soldier placed in what was should have been a huge moral grey area, but since the movie tried to turn the Suicide Squad into heroes, Flag's character fell flat.<br />
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Katana - She also didn't have much to do in the film. And again, it was a crying shame because she could have been an EPIC player in the movie. Still she had her bad ass moments, but her backstory was lacking. The little bit that was there was very compelling and I would have liked to see more.<br />
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Enchantress - Her story-line was intriguing. I genuinely felt bad for the lady being possessed, it added a slightly different touch of tragedy than Diablo's story arc. This gave the movie some much needed nuance, but nowhere near enough.<br />
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Amanda Waller - She was PITCH PERFECT! Viola Davis played her absolutely fantastically. Cold hearted, vicious, unapologetic and RUTHLESS TO THE NINES! There were a couple of scenes where she even took ME by surprise and I've seen comics and tv shows where she's best buddies with Lex Luthor!<br />
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As I said earlier in this post, the movie was a fun time. If you have a couple of hours to kill and nothing better to do, watch this movie and you'll have a good time. But if you're looking for a DEFINITIVE version of the Suicide Squad, either read the comics or watch the animated feature: Batman: Assault On Arkham. The Squad's line up is slightly different, but it's a much truer portrayal of the group's dynamic.<br />
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Final Rating: 6/10Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-49852558310857322172015-12-23T13:50:00.000-05:002015-12-23T13:50:07.027-05:00Star Wars: An Experiment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A long time ago, in this very galaxy, I decided to run an experiment. After the umpteenth argument about the latest changes that George Lucas made to the original trilogy of Star Wars, the person who I was arguing with accused me of not being able to see past nostalgia and evaluate the movies as they really are today. So, I went and purchased the Blu-ray release of the six films and then didn't watch them, at all. <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />For years. Seriously. It was like 4 years.<br /><br />Eventually, the films faded from memory. Don't get me wrong, certain scenes will never fade but the movies as a whole began to fade away. When it got to the point that I couldn't really bring to mind anything but the uber-popular scenes, I decided to watch the movies again in the order they were released. <br /><br />Since it had been such a long time since I had seen the movies, I figured I could bring new eyes to the series. And for the most part, I was right. Because I had allowed so much time to pass between viewings, I was free to watch the films without immediately engaging all the previous enjoyment that I had experienced watching Star Wars. And because I was seeing the films without that childhood enjoyment and nostalgia, my critical brain had room to operate. And that's when a strange thing happened.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSi_I_V147Y4VTLGMVHzDN3x0LVwK-ZB0kZ0QNMoCpbFizsvz6PHyotkHRLVXWO7DXGYI0EMejB5Vj44FgSgDohTtUc-vbini3oDibUO1secVKpgX3ZsgVjLZyHtxTXk958pyix9gtwlM/s1600/star+wars+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSi_I_V147Y4VTLGMVHzDN3x0LVwK-ZB0kZ0QNMoCpbFizsvz6PHyotkHRLVXWO7DXGYI0EMejB5Vj44FgSgDohTtUc-vbini3oDibUO1secVKpgX3ZsgVjLZyHtxTXk958pyix9gtwlM/s320/star+wars+02.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had watched these movies too many times to completely forget how they went, and right before a familiar scene I would find myself thinking, "Wow, it would have been awesome if they'd been able to show a wider shot of Mos Eisley, you know? To really set up the contrast of the desert and the spaceport." And then lo and behold, one of the "hated" changes did exactly what I wanted to see. And there were many, many more of those moments, throughout the original trilogy. However, the final "No" that Darth Vader delivers before saving his son at the end of Jedi STILL didn't work for me. Either say something profound, or don't say anything. Just "no" doesn't work. <br /><br />I then turned my attention to the prequel trilogy. There I had a completely different reaction. My initial response to the prequels was one of indifference and boredom. But in re-watching them, I finally saw the complexity that was being set up and the depth of the story. Jar jar Binks was still an annoying ass, and was even MORE annoying because of the seriousness of the events around him.<br />
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Over all, I found the prequels to be a lot better on a cinematic level than I gave them credit for initially. I still believe that movies should have started with Attack Of The Clones and ended with a final movie, after Revenge Of The Sith, depicting the actions of Darth Vader (in full suit and all) showing why he was so feared by both the Rebel AND Imperial forces. Given the focus the prequel trilogy had on the "fall of Anakin Skywalker", it would have been a fitting ending to see him at his worst as inverse symmetry of seeing him at his best at the end of Jedi where he saves his son. <br /><br />But in the end, I realized that I was being completely unfair to both George Lucas and the prequel trilogy. I am sorry, George Lucas. I was wrong.Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-80363163152102590972015-05-05T01:11:00.000-04:002015-05-05T01:11:02.691-04:00 Thoughts On... Mirrors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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They say that if you hear something often enough, you start to believe it to be true. This has been proven over and over again. Most notably, the social media evolution has given ample evidence. But there is an extension to this. Hear something often enough, you start believing it to be true. Keep hearing it and it stops being true and becomes fact. There is a difference between truth and fact. Truth is subject to interpretation. Fact is not. What the fact means, and how the fact links to other facts, that is open to interpretation. The Fact, however, is not. You can argue what causes us to stick to the earth, but that we stick to the earth is unarguable. Gravity is a fact. <br />
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As someone who prizes rationality above all else, I like facts. I live by them. I have so many that they fade into the background and spread their influence across all of my world, like gravity. Recently, I discovered that a friend of mine is going through a period of transition in his life. Among the things that are changing, one of the biggest is <a href="http://www.fuckbeingafatass.com/?p=17" target="_blank">his weight</a>. This change has also awakened him to certain realities of his life and thrown a light on certain perceptions he has of himself. While he's nowhere near to needing the kind of weight loss that I do, he did reach out to me during this trying time in an effort to find support and to give me some much needed support and motivation. In reaching out, he has reminded me of certain facts of my existence. <span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">Fact: I despise looking at myself in the mirror. </span><br />
I have been overweight for roughly about 30 years. In that time, the only mirrors I've ever owned were the ones that came installed in bathrooms. I use them for shaving. I avoid looking at reflective surfaces. Part of that is being a man in the U.S., really. We're not really encouraged to admire ourselves, and my Dominican culture kills that even more. In fact, the only real time men are encouraged to stare at themselves is when they are getting ready to attempt to acquire a mate. But, my size eliminated any chances of THAT happening, so what did I need mirrors for? <br />
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TO this day, I never seek out mirrors unless it's of DIRE importance (shaving, needing to fix a tie for an interview, etc). And don't even get me started on cameras. There are very few pictures of me for a reason. Even in today's selfie obsessed society, there are less than 100 pics of me. My friends and roommates have pics of themselves numbering in the THOUSANDS and take more every day.<br />
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You have no idea how difficult it was to make those reflections videos I made.</h4>
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As a child, I was ridiculed for the way I looked and because of my intelligence. I hated myself. It took years for me to stop hating myself. Then it was: "I'm a good guy, I just look hideous." And that lasted for a good decade or so, until I figured out how to break the link in my mind that equated what I was worth to how other people saw me. That's when I became a hermit. Other people really don't matter (and most of them bore me anyway), so why waste my energy on them? I've got better (and more fun) things to do. No one is an island, however, so I got a small core group of friends and the rest of the world be damned. That took a long while to break apart and I'm still working on getting out from under it. <br />
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But I can't get away from myself. And while I have grown to love myself and who I am, which was instrumental in breaking a lot of the issues in my life, I still can't bring myself to look in a mirror willingly. Even though I know that it doesn't really matter, I hate my reflection. <br />
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I hate my reflection.<br />
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All the jokes that I hear about fat people that I laugh along with... all the culturally trained revulsion and disgust... all of the rejections and pain... all of the basic tasks made more difficult... all of the frustrations of my life... <br />
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They all come to the forefront when I look in the mirror and see for myself how the rest of the world sees me. It's the type of thing that can drive someone to suicide. And at several points in my life, it almost did. My friend talks to me about being ferocious about my attempts to change my life. But, I have to be careful. If I try to take on too much, the emotional backlash could overwhelm the strength of personality and will that has kept me on this planet. Because unlike gravity, there's only so much personality and will power I can muster.<br />
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<b> I HATE MY REFLECTION.</b></div>
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And none of this changes this one fact of my existence. At least.... not yet.Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-53648195694919011312015-01-09T20:49:00.000-05:002015-01-09T20:49:47.535-05:00Thoughts On... Unrequited Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember coming across a version of Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love) that was a pretty vindictive bitch at times. When asked how she could justify her recent bitchy behavior given the fact that she's the goddess of love, she replied, "There are many types of love, including jealousy, unrequited, obsession, and even narcissism. I have to represent all of them." (Not sure if I'm getting the quote right, but it gets my point across.) It seems like Unrequited Love (UL) is the hardest to get over because it affects you on two different levels. <br /><br />The first being the actual emotions you're living with that you have to get over. Like any other chemical addiction, getting over UL is a long and painful process. The second is the dream. The life & love you imagined would take place once the one you loved agreed to be with you because they felt the same way. While not as physically painful (after all, it is just an idea in your head), this second level is the harder of the two to get rid of because literally ANYTHING can trigger a trip down the rabbit hole of the dream. Over the course of my life, UL is the type of love I have encountered more than any other. In fact, I'm trying to get over it right now. Hence, this post. <br />
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I fell for a girl that is completely wrong for me. (Ain't that always the way it is?) She fell on hard times and I ended up playing host for her for about a month. During that time, I got to see her every day. What started out as just physical attraction, on my part, turned into affection and then into love. She, of course, was involved with someone else and remained completely faithful to him. And I got to spend the better part of a month in an all too familiar hell. <br /><br />Now, I'm in a new location and away from her. But still the emotions remain. I was hoping that this was just a simple infatuation. That with a couple days of solitude, my feelings would go away. But they remain. I know that she is completely wrong for me. We are a completely bad match. Different intelligence levels, different maturity levels, vastly conflicting emotional baggage and mental issues all are obvious proof that she and I would NEVER work together and I would be MISERABLE with her.<br />
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And yet, I find myself reliving New Year's Eve where she was drunk enough to sit in my lap and caress my cheek as we awaited the arrival of 2015. I keep replaying the moment when she told me she was happy being there with me. In fact, she was much happier being there with me than she would have been had she spent the night with her boyfriend, she whispered to me as she snuggled in closer to me. <br /><br />A friend of mine told me that when you love someone, you love everything about them. The good AND the bad. The way I feel right now, I do believe I am still in love with her. But, I'm trying to get over her. I sit here typing this post out (hoping for some kind of online therapy), my eyes filled with unshed tears, trying to get over this feeling. Trying to get back to some kind of even keel, and failing miserably.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTQW7zgUiebzm0LbKCSmLIZcI9EqKgloGMPmsvuCQCdK6WAn0pDcqXKDN85bnFfLv4cEz1ThoNgjrpIxrzeTjJDrOJAeLX-3VlALEae-y_WanVOAoblDwBURAbyDYXpoAAmiCFYegYU0/s1600/Kissing+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTQW7zgUiebzm0LbKCSmLIZcI9EqKgloGMPmsvuCQCdK6WAn0pDcqXKDN85bnFfLv4cEz1ThoNgjrpIxrzeTjJDrOJAeLX-3VlALEae-y_WanVOAoblDwBURAbyDYXpoAAmiCFYegYU0/s1600/Kissing+02.jpg" height="145" width="200" /></a>My friends and roommates can see something is wrong. They try to help, but their efforts don't really work. A brief moment of laughter doesn't really make this twisted knot in my chest go away. And what's worse is, two of my roommates are starting to fall for each other. Being on the outside of it, it's so easy to see happening and I am happy for them. I really am. But it also serves as a reminder of the pain I'm trying to get over and it just makes me feel worse. And then on top of that, I feel bad because I'm not happier for them. It's a vicious cycle, and I don't know how to get out of it. <br /><br />I'm someone who's prone to depression. (I should really get myself a psychiatrist.) It's always taken a large portion of mental energy to maintain a semblance of a good mood for people. The normal stresses of life, stress at work, and my recent move to Nashua have drained me. I don't have the emotional energy to maintain the normal face of being in a good mood. And it's going to get worse as we get closer to Valentine's Day. People wonder why I hate that day. This RIGHT HERE is why. And the season has already started. Candies and pink, frilly things have already started showing up in stores. It's not even February yet. <br /><br />
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The only solace I have are my movies & TV shows (which help a little, but spending so much time alone causes my roommates and friends to worry), and the knowledge that I've been through this many times before. I endured then, I can endure now. Like I said earlier in this post, the type of love I have the most experience with is Unrequited Love. But each time I walk this path, it gets harder and harder. <br /><br />Taking stock of my life so far (as people are wont to do in the beginning of a new year), I find that about 80% of the emotional pain and depression I've experience in my life has come when I try to connect with the opposite sex. I'm starting to think I should just walk away from the whole thing, it's a lot less painful. <br /><br />What do you think, my dear readers? Ever felt the sting of Unrequited Love? Sound off in the comments.Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-15373925980078688562014-12-11T00:20:00.000-05:002014-12-11T00:20:11.483-05:00A Moment Of Beauty... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not a big fan of the holidays. My year ends on Oct 31st. At this point, there isn't really a way for this time of year to be redeemed for me. However, thanks to recent personal development, I've been able to finally recognize that there are some good times to be had during this my most harrowing time of the year. One of these moments occurred recently. <br />
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A couple days after Thanksgiving, I had the distinct pleasure of hooking up with a friend of mine. And before you ask, No, I'm not going to tell you who. While my decided lack of success in the realm of romantic relationships (as cataloged in MANY posts here) will make you exceedingly curious, there are some things that must remain private. Besides, her identity isn't necessary to the point of this post. <br /><br />The point is I spent the night with a beautiful, raven haired woman. And while the act we shared was a highlight of my year, there is a moment of that night that sticks in mind more than the act. The moment came a few hours later, when I awoke in the depths of the night. I don't know what woke me, but I'm grateful to whatever did. <br /><br />I woke up to see my bedroom lit by the dim were-light of the space heater I use. In front of me, lay the woman. She was about a foot and a half from me and facing away. I have some mild abandonment issues, so seeing her still being there already kicked off a bit of serene contentment. Then I took in the vision in front of me. See, the blankets had come down some and I could see the whole of her back. Her skin glowed in the light of my heater, set off by the strands of her dark hair. The slow regular rhythm of her breathing in her sleep set her back to move slightly and made the glow slide and shift across her back. I watched the golden orange light of my space heater dance across her back for a few minutes before falling asleep myself. <br /><br />In a time of year that is rife with reminders of past traumas (both physical and emotional), those few minutes were a moment of beauty that I will treasure. And I thank whatever force guides the universe for allowing me that moment.Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-7898057810455235942014-09-21T17:57:00.001-04:002014-09-21T17:57:46.874-04:00Reflections Video Episode 7 The Psychobabble Q & AIt's been a little while since I've put up a video. For those of you who have been waiting so patiently, I thank you for your patience. But, I've mostly been harassed to come up with the next new video. So, here you go:<br />
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Hope you enjoyed it!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-42388680368141057582014-09-07T09:44:00.000-04:002014-09-07T09:44:24.166-04:00Reflections Video Episode 6 - Hidden TreasuresLife's been hectic recently. One of the issues that made my life hectic was the shutting down of the site where I had a storage unit. I don't exactly know why they shut it down, the email I got said something about lead exposure. Due to the shut down I had to empty out my storage unit, once and for all. After having the unit for such a long time, it was a kind of weird version of Christmas re-discovering what I had locked away in there. Check out the video for more info!<br />
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So, what did you think of my treasures?Anything you found interesting? Do you see me in a whole different light now? Sound off in the comments below!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-18623727883828341382014-08-23T18:51:00.000-04:002014-08-23T18:51:39.250-04:00Reflections Video Episode 5 - ALS Ice Bucket ChallengeYes, I was challenged to do the ALS Ice Bucket challenge. Yes, I did it. Want proof? Check this out!<br />
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So, what do you think? Are you going to donate? You better!! Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-89117686343461490652014-08-23T00:26:00.001-04:002014-08-23T00:26:53.900-04:00Reflections Video Episode 4 - Top 3 Matt Smith Episodes of Doctor Who<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0e_ZnmO0E6vH_VfGpnDEWtwa-Am8olL9lyt8nqctc5H9f8yY3vtQjDC8phkw5ztfCuN49lE6_GKT2p2um3R9jXfrigGoktgLgzgoD5xyh81odRm8dq6nzXz2mXByKHZB9pAcT4ucQjA/s1600/DOCTOR-WHO-Season-7-Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0e_ZnmO0E6vH_VfGpnDEWtwa-Am8olL9lyt8nqctc5H9f8yY3vtQjDC8phkw5ztfCuN49lE6_GKT2p2um3R9jXfrigGoktgLgzgoD5xyh81odRm8dq6nzXz2mXByKHZB9pAcT4ucQjA/s1600/DOCTOR-WHO-Season-7-Banner.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a>In the spirit of Doctor Who week, I decided to make a video of my top 3 episodes of Matt Smith, the 11th Doctor. And I did. Unfortunately, due to copyright issues, the video was blocked and I can't show it. Probably a good thing, I wasn't too happy about my editing on the video, myself. But, given the work I put into that video I am extremely bummed out that I won't be able to play it. Hopefully, at some point in the future, the block will be lifted, but who knows. On the bright side, it does add an air of mystery to these videos, right? The unaired episode...
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However, they can't stop me from WRITING about my top 3 Matt Smith episodes, right? So, if you are interested here are my top 3 Matt Smith eps from his now concluded run as the Doctor, in no particular order.<br />
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5x01 - The Eleventh Hour<br />
Matt Smith's first episode as the Doctor wasn't a real winner for me until the very end. It was a good episode, but the performance came across like Smith didn't really know if he could pull off the role and was talking as fast as possible to make sure no one else would notice until the episode was over. Ironically, it was the last speech the Doctor gives to the alien race, the Atraxi, that won me over. Especially when the images of the other Doctors are projected in hologram form and Smith walks through, finally taking full ownership of the role.<br />
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6x11 - The God Complex<br />
From the beginning of the series, it seems that the key to everything was to trust in the Doctor. No matter the situation, no matter how dire the circumstance, the Doctor always knew the way out and bad things would happen only when the Doctor words were not heeded. In this episode, it was very refreshing to see the writers flip the script, so to speak, and have the way out be to lose that unwaveringly blinding faith in the Doctor. Smith's speech to Amy Williams was as powerful as it was shocking and delivered exceptionally well.<br />
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7x05 - The Angels Take Manhattan<br />
One of the recurring themes in Doctor (especially in this reboot series) is the limitations of the Doctor. From the episode "The Doctor Dances" where we see the Ninth Doctor overjoyed at the fact that no one had to die that day, to the "Waters of Mars" where a semi-crazed Tenth Doctor can't seem to bend the laws of time to his will, despite his claims, the limitations of the Doctor are always lurking in the background. In "Angels Take Manhattan", the Eleventh Doctor comes across a moment he can't change, the birth of a fixed moment in time that would lose him both of his companions Amy & Rory. The moment he pleads with Amy to not leave and the cry of anguish after she does are epic in Smith's simple portrayal of desperation and despair. The almighty Doctor is losing the people he cares about, and can't do a single solitary thing to stop it.<br />
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Well, folks, there you have it. My top 3 Matt Smith, Doctor Who moments. Sound off in the comments below. What were your favorite moments from the Eleventh Doctor?<br />
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<br />Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-85315043047158173972014-08-17T02:08:00.000-04:002014-08-17T02:08:02.005-04:00Reflections Video Episode 03Wow, I never thought that making these videos would be so difficult! I have a new found respect for television hosts and personalities. Just coming up with ideas for these things is a pain. But, I try to listen to my viewers and seek guidance from them. It turns out that people want to know more about me. So, I drew up a list of questions that should give you a good idea of who I am and what I stand for. <br />
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So what do you think? Did you like the video? Are there any questions you would like me to answer? Sound off in the comments below!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-41969140826672153562014-08-13T01:20:00.000-04:002014-08-13T01:20:03.859-04:00To one of the greatest comics who ever lived... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My dear readers, I know that you were enjoying my obsession with videos, but I don't have the heart to actually speak about this. Yesterday, Robin Williams was found dead. Preliminary investigations reveal that it was suicide. Even though, I know he would never do something like this, I find myself hoping that this is some kind of prank. That Mr. Williams will suddenly pop up out of nowhere, and everything will be cool again. I can not even BEGIN to imagine the kind of pain his family must be going through right now. My thoughts and prayers go to them. I wish them all the best. <br />
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There have been a lot of celebrity deaths and a great deal of media coverage for some of them. For the most part, those deaths were simply a curiosity for me. For some reason, the death of Robin Williams has hit me a lot harder than the others. (Even the news of Lauren Bacall's death today didn't affect me beyond intellectual curiosity.) A friend of mine suggested that it was because I grew up watching Robin Williams, but I also grew up with Michael Jackson & Whitney Houston and their deaths left me unaffected.<br />
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But with the death of Mr. Williams, I find myself randomly tearing up. Honestly, it feels like a friend died. I remember the first movie in which I saw him: Popeye. It wasn't a great movie (mostly because Popeye isn't really a strong enough story to support a feature film), but he was awesome and incredibly funny. I didn't watch every single project he was a part of, but in every single one of the projects I did see, he made me laugh. No matter what mood I was in, no matter what was going on, he made me laugh. In fact, the only person who made me laugh more than Robin Williams, was George Carlin. (Who, incidentally, was a close friend of Mr. Williams, as far as I know.) Even watching him in interviews was funny.<br />
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Of all his projects, the film that most appeals to me is Good Morning, Vietnam. Adrian Cronauer was the role Mr. Williams was born to play. You can't be as funny as Robin Williams without having a deep empathy for people and in GMV, he was able to show the type of chaotic humor that was his trademark and the kind of warmth and emotional depth that allows him to be funny. And, as a side bonus, we got a brilliant display of the effect that he has on his audience. <br />
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It is a great tragedy that for all the humor he brought into the world, for all the troubles he kept at bay for all the people who enjoyed his work, for all the love he elicited out of his family, friends, and his audience, he was never able to fully overcome the demons inside himself. Yesterday, a person I've never met, but whom I considered a friend, died. It's only been a day and I already miss him terribly. <br />
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Interestingly enough, despite Good Morning, Vietnam being my favorite film of his, my favorite role is the one where he portrayed the ultimate friend: the Genie from Aladdin. We'll never again have a friend like you, Mr Williams. Rest In Peace.<br />
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Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-39193616293655821442014-08-09T18:00:00.001-04:002014-08-09T18:00:41.841-04:00Reflections Video Episode 02Now that my series has been picked up by the networks, it's time for me to make the SECOND episode! Especially now that I'm not bone tired and have actual content to discuss! WOO HOO!! Check it out!<br />
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So, talk to me people! Do you like these videos? Do you have any questions you want me to answer? Let me know in the comments below!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-32225495550918392342014-08-09T02:31:00.000-04:002014-08-09T02:33:06.883-04:00Trying Something New... As the agents of Necessity would have it, I found a new place to live. This has inspired me to take a look at the things I do, and come up with some new ones. Inspired by my colleague's wife, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/G3ekM0m" target="_blank">g3ekm0m</a>, I decided to try my hand at video blogging. So here it is, Lord help us all.. <br />
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So, there you go. That was my first video. Please be kind. Sound off in the comments below, tell me what you thought of it! Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-39566426793622543802014-06-27T12:28:00.000-04:002014-06-27T12:29:05.154-04:00Life Notes: Looking For A New Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My dear readers, I need your help. I'm having some housing difficulties. Recently, the building where I live was inspected. The inspectors rated it at one step above Condemned. If a 2 month old sneezes the wrong way, it'll be condemned. So, my roommates and I have to move. I was going to go out on my own, but my roommate's 2 year old daughter has attached herself to me like a facehugger from Alien. Yes, I'm being completely serious. And it does make for some weird questions at work, but we all have burdens we must endure. After all, it would just be wrong to be as smart, sexy and talented as I am without having some kind of quirk to balance it out and having a 2 year old surgically grafted to one of my legs is the way the Universe chose to balance it. <br />
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Getting back to the point, I need to move. So, I'm currently on the hunt for a 4+ bedroom apartment, preferably in the Lowell/Methuen area. If you know of any good places that are renting in that area, please let me know either in the comments below or on Facebook. <br />
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I thank you for reading!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-13497216122526545052014-05-09T00:44:00.001-04:002014-05-09T00:44:06.733-04:00Back In Black with Velma... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Almost three years ago, I managed to get a 2002 Dodge Durango (nicknamed Trudie) after the previous car I owned (Bianca) tried to kill me. I was happy with Trudie until recently when I started having to pour money into her for repairs. Now, I work and play in a field that has to deal with technology both mechanical and electronic, so I know that wear and tear can eventually break any machine. I was okay with some of the repairs, but after a little while it got expensive. Way more expensive that the car was actually worth. So, with some advice from colleagues at my new job, I decided to get a new car. A different car. My dream car. Meet Velma. <br />
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She's a 2004 Dodge Durango Limited Edition. She has a 4.7L V8 engine putting out about 200 horses. She gets 13 mpg city and 18mpg highway. She has a power sunroof, leather seats, and a kick ass fully functional sound system with satellite radio, CD player and aux port! She seats 7 passengers, but I'll most likely never go beyond 5 so the 3rd row of seats will spend most of it's time down to give me more trunk space.<br />
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I used to own a 04 Durango back in the day. (I even still have pics of Didi up on my Facebook page.) It was such a pleasure to drive around in that car. I actually ENJOYED the experience of driving because it felt like I was driving in a bubble on a cloud. And driving Velma has brought that experience back! It's simply amazing. The people who have ridden with me in the car have remarked about how great Velma is and how happy I am behind the wheel. Normally, I'd say they were crazy, but I think they are on to something. Now, my dear readers, you probably have a couple questions running through your mind right now. 1) Why Velma?? There are so many better names out there than Velma, right? So why that? 2) Am I worried about how easy it was to get this car on a cosmic karma level?<br />
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To answer your first question: My initial response was to name the car, Daphne. It was a unique name, starting with D and it seemed to fit the vehicle. But on the odyssey needed to get the car registered (more on that in a sec), I was staring at the car thinking about how sexy it looked. Don't look at me like that. If women can freak out about sexy shoes, I can freak out about how sexy my car looks. Anyway, so I was looking at my new car and thinking about the name Daphne. I haven't known many people named Daphne so the name always makes me think of Scooby Doo. And when thinking about the ladies of Scooby Doo, the sexiest one isn't Daphne (despite what every one ELSE thinks) it's actually Velma. I came to the conclusion that my car was too sexy to be called Daphne, and so she became Velma.<br />
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As for the second question: As awesome an experience it was to buy the car, getting it registered was a pain. I got the paperwork to transfer the registration from Trudie to Velma, and was told in no uncertain terms by my insurance company that I would have no problem bringing the forms to the DMV for processing. I get to the DMV, and after the requisite hour of waiting for no reason, I go up to the lady who is designated as my helper. I give her the forms and she looks at them for about 20 seconds and tells me she can't accept them. The insurance stamp is on the wrong form and I have to go to the offices of my insurance agency to get the proper form stamped. I was told this at around 4pm. The location of the offices of my insurance company in MA: Woburn, MA. <br />
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I had to drive on the highway to Woburn, MA at the beginning of rush hour traffic! <br />
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So, I go down to Woburn and explain my situation to the lady there. She gets flustered and starts apologizing profusely. Apparently, there was a new law passed to make the registration process simpler that the Lawrence DMV was not following properly. So she apologized several times for my inconvenience and told me in that her supervisor would speak to the people at the Lawrence DMV to clear up the matter. I was sitting on a bench outside the offices of my insurance agency when I had the epiphany about changing my car's name to Velma. Then I drove back to Lawrence. <br />
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The DMV was closed when I got back so I did some coding at home and then went to bed. This morning I go the DMV. I got there a bit early, so I waited in my car for the office to open its doors. Once they were open, I waded through the line of people, again, to make it to a different lady for the registration transfer. This time there were no issues. However, just for cosmic irony, the lady next to me was attempting to get a registration done as well, and I hear the DMV clerk attending her saying that she needs to call her insurance agency and have them email her the proper form stamped and that plus a form from the dealer will be sufficient for registration. Hearing that, I almost blew a gasket!!<br />
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Why couldn't I have gotten THAT clerk YESTERDAY!!! <br />
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But I didn't say anything. You don't want to start something at the DMV. It will always bite you in the ass. So, I kept my mouth shut. I just paid for the transfer of registration and left the DMV. So, I think the scale for cosmic karma is balanced on this issue. In any case, I've got my dream car and I'm happy. If you're lucky, my dear readers, I may just give you a ride! And as a parting gift, I leave you with the video of the first song I played when I got behind the wheel of the car.<br />
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So, what do you think, my dear readers? Sound off in the comments below!
Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-27600573090985759042014-05-06T09:24:00.000-04:002014-05-06T09:24:19.198-04:00To Live Another Day... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'd never thought I'd get to say this again, but here goes: Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, it's that time again! It's time for terrorists to quake in their boots, evil hackers to hide in their Matrices, and bad politicians to go on extended vacations... That's right, boys and girls, JACK IS BACK!!! I can not convey just how awesome it was to be watching another season premiere of 24. Just hearing the sounds of speeding up countdown clicks as the familiar digital "24" appeared on screen gave me goosebumps. It was pure epicness. And that was just the intro. Now, let's get into the episodes! <br />
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One of the things that the producers of 24 always talked about was how tiring the show was to make. After 4 years of rest, they came back STRONG. The show picks up in real time, 4 years after we last saw Bauer on screen with a London based CIA station tracking a "high value target". Gee, I wonder who THAT could be? And in a reference to the last time we saw him (on a surveillance screen pixellating to nothingness), the first time we see Jack is on, you guessed it, a surveillance screen. Now sure of their target, the CIA team thinks that they have the upper hand and break in to get Jack. They rush to his location and he's gone. Duh! There's a shootout, a bit of a chase, and then surprisingly, Jack gets captured. This starts off a series of events that eventually leads to Jack revealing why he was in London, and why he LET himself get captured in the first place. (No, I'm not going to tell you, WATCH THE SHOW to find out!)<br />
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Kiefer Sutherland has not lost a single step playing Jack Bauer. Seeing his face, hearing him speak in those frantic whispers, and watching him kick the CRAP out of the guy talking about how Jack was good "back in the day" all felt smooth and natural. There were no kinks at all. Mary Lynn Rajskub comes back to Chloe O'Brian just as smoothly, but I don't really like the "Goth" look she has now. There was a moment in ep 2 where Jack questions whether Chloe really believes the stuff she's
saying and the look feels the same way. It's like Chloe went Goth to try
to impress some one more than she did it for herself. But still, the
attitude was perfect.<br />
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I must admit, I liked seeing James Heller again. He was a good man and William Devane picked up playing him just as easily as the other returning members. It was also really cool to see Audrey Raines (Boudreau?) back up to a regular human being. I always felt really bad about what happened to her, although Kim Raver played the "destroyed" Audrey amazingly well. But it was good to see Audrey back on her feet again. <br />
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As good as the returning members were, the NEW talent was really good. My first bit of kudos going to Gbenga Akinnagbe (I hope I spelled that right!) for jumping right in to the action and holding his own. I look forward to seeing a lot of great things in this season with him. I'm also loving Yvonne Strahovski. I've only seen her as Hannah McKay from Dexter, but I'm enjoying her performance as Kate Morgan a great deal! Here's hoping she can keep up with Jack for the rest of the season!<br />
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I was surprised at how much I empathasized with Tate Donovan's character, Mark Boudreau. His speech of what he went through supporting Audrey during her recovery was very powerful, but I really gained respect for him during the scene where he grilled the president. It takes some serious guts to do that to your boss. Especially in front of his daughter/your wife! It's not the same as Jack torturing her ex in front of her with a lamp, but still! <br />
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And then there's Benjamin Bratt. He has this habit of playing no nonsense, but fair people in the roles he chooses. And Steve Navarro is no exception. I love the combination of strength, intelligence and fear he played in his limited screen time these first couple of episodes. I can't wait to see what he does next. <br />
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I also want to give a special shout out to Michael Wincott. I haven't seen him in a long time and I was surprised to see his name in the credits. When he came on screen as the leader of Chloe's group, I was ecstatic! I'm hoping he appears more in later episodes. The man is amazing! <br />
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I'm not going to say much about Michelle Fairley, right now. It's too much of a spoiler. But, I've seen her in Game of Thrones and in Suits. She is an acting POWERHOUSE. That she's been tapped to play the villain here speaks VOLUMES as to how real this show is going to get. <br />
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And speaking of real, I like the relevancy of the story of this season. For much of the series of 24, the United States was treated as more of lone nation as opposed to a part of a global community. Moving the action to London puts the US in a more realistic position, especially when the real action starts heating up! I can't wait until next week!! <br />
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Oh, I have one final thing to say. Now, I freely admit to watching a lot of television. And I mean A LOT of television. Seriously, I do. If you don't believe me, check out <a href="http://dilking2002.blogspot.com/2013/05/thoughts-on-how-much-tv-i-actually-watch.html" target="_blank">this post</a>. Anyway, the point is I watch a lot of TV. But, there are only a few shows (no more than 10) that I'm really addicted to watching. One of which is 24. When the show ended, I had some SERIOUS withdrawal issues to deal with. I posted multiple blog posts about the show, bored my friends to tears about the final season, and even sat in bed praying for one more season. One more chance to see my main man, Jack Bauer take down the bad guys. And my prayers have been answered!! <br />
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I could not have hoped for a better return of 24. Many thanks to all of the people in Hollywood and around the world for making it happen! What do you think, my dear readers? Did you skip the show? Did you not like it? Or are you going to be like me and be glued to your TV set next Mon? Sound off in the comments below!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-24890737056188624762014-05-06T07:57:00.000-04:002014-05-06T07:57:29.972-04:00The City That Spawned Him... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everyone knows that I'm a major Batman fan. I don't dismiss other members of the DC Universe pantheon of heroes (or Marvel's pantheon for that matter!), but ever since I was a child, there was always something that spoke to me about the Dark Knight. It wasn't just the symbolism, even though the Bat symbol is really cool. It wasn't just the science and technology used, even though toys like the Batmobile and the Batarang are really cool. It isn't even the superior intelligence and tactics that Batman employs to survive in a world full of super powered beings. In really thinking about it, the underlying quality that really speaks to ME and supports my intense love of the Batman mythos is the endurance of the man, Bruce Wayne. Making the choice to fight crime as a child, having the strength of will to stick to that choice and enforcing that change, and then standing up against the never-ending assault of crime. Those qualities were exceedingly appealing to my younger self trying to survive the household in which I lived. And so, I read the stories, watched the TV shows. Yes, even that horrible excuse for entertainment that was the 70s Batman show. Blech!<br />
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Anyway, in reading the comics and learning the stories, one can't help but find one of the biggest "secrets" of the Batman universe. For all the talk of Batman being a lone crusader, he has a HUGE support team in his fight against crime. One man in particular, has been part of his support team since he was a child: James Gordon, future police commissioner of Gotham City. In every single iteration of Batman that featured Gordon, the man was nothing less than bad ass EVERY SINGLE TIME! So, when I heard the news that a new television series was being produced that was focusing on James Gordon in Gotham BEFORE the time of the Bat, I knew I was going to watch it. Here's the extended trailer for Gotham:<br />
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Awesome, right?? And so far, the casting has been nothing less that top notch. I'm not familiar with Ben McKenzie (Jim Gordon) aside from his voicing of Batman in the animated movie Batman:Year One, but given the accolades he got on Southland, I can't really see him messing up in the role. I watched David Mazouz (the young Bruce Wayne) in the series Touch and he will be amazing. Sean Pertwee as Alfred is surprising but awesome. However, my favorite bit of casting is Donal Logue as Detective Harvey Bullock.<br />
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Bullock is one of those characters that, at first glance, seem like a throwaway; just someone to fill a role in a given story. But, after he comes back multiple times, you realize that there's something deeper to the man. A rare kind of complexity that is tricky to play out. While morally corrupt enough to take money from the mob, Bullock won't sell out his partner. He understands that he's a bad seed, but still tries to do good. And when Batman shows up in Gotham, Bullock decries him as an insane catalyst that will break the city, but still works with Batman, at times directly, to help the citizens of Gotham. And Donal Logue is a fantastic choice to play that rare mix that is Bullock.<br />
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And given that trailer, it looks like this show is on track to being one of the biggest hits on FOX. Long live Gotham City!Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2377798491811359486.post-72829159843143987962014-04-29T19:14:00.000-04:002014-04-29T19:14:06.941-04:00Aaaaaaand I'm Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been 3 months since I've even looked at this site. And I know that you're all wondering what happened to me since my last post where I relayed the message of my startling unemployment. Well, to be honest, a lot has happened. But, I'm not going to bore you with all the details. So, here are the highlights: <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />In what is my SHORTEST bout with unemployment, I got a job about 3 weeks after my previous post. Yes, I'm working. I'm a contractor with a start up company developing software for the financial services industry. Hopefully soon, I will become a full employee, but until then there's nothing that I can do but keep my nose to the grindstone. I like the work, and I like the people I'm working with. That's all for which one can ask. <br /><br />My awesome February was as awesome as I expected even with the delays that I had in enjoying my proposed activities. Season 2 of Hannibal was epic! Season 2 of House of Cards is nothing less than stellar! I can't get over the second half of the Walking Dead season! So much amazing stuff happened!! I'm LOVING playing Castlevania 2! I'm obsessed with playing Thief! I'm getting so much better at being stealth!<br /><br />Medically, I'm doing okay. I just found out that I'm up 45lbs to my NEW career high of 514.2lbs. But, this is at the tail end of a really stressful period in my life. Stress, my sedentary lifestyle and my natural laziness is a bad combination. But steps are being taken to remedy the situation. I found a gym right near my house and I'm starting my daily workouts there tomorrow or Thursday depending on how long it takes my membership to clear.<br />
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More will come in future posts, but that's all for now. Rodneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860620016177457657noreply@blogger.com2