Cornered by Sandy

Sandy is currently making her way up the coast and has veered away from the DC/Baltimore area and toward New Jersey (insert your own joke here). The federal government is closed, WMATA is closed, universities are closed. Work was canceled for both today and tomorrow for me. I’m crossing my fingers for a power outage giving me Halloween too.

As much as I dislike my job and relish not being there, days like this make me stir crazy. I don’t like feeling cooped up but didn’t seem to be much point in going out with all the hoopla and various closings. If I’d known it wouldn’t suck until four I’d have taken in a movie. I also miss the physical stimulation of going to the gym. I don't have any cardio machines other than the stairs that came with the house.

To keep myself busy I’ve:

-done some hand wash

-put away clean laundry

-read comics

-put away the last of my purchases from Baltimore Comic Con

-watched Magic Mike with my mother (weird mother-daughter bonding moment BTW)

-emptied and reloaded the dishwasher

-worked on a HW assignment for a free on-line class I’m taking

-read

-watched episodes from Big Bang Theory from season 5 I missed the first go around

-played Bejeweled

I’m going to do some of the ab exercises I usually do at the gym. Anyone got an suggestions for physical and mental stimulation when I’m cooped up tomorrow?

Current Music: Skyfall by ADELE

I'm Gonna Love It

Last night I was able to get into an advance screening of Wreck-It Ralph. For those who don’t know (all three of you) this is Disney-Pixar’s latest film. It’s about a video game character who was tired of always being the bad guy. When the arcade is closed and the video game characters can be themselves, many of the villains and heroes hang out. Not in Ralph’s game.

He’s tired of being left out and hated. He wants to be the good guy for once and leaves his video game to try and do it. There was an excellent cast of voice actors for both the major and minor characters. It was a good blend of character actors and better known big names. (Try to figure who is Mindy Kaling and Alan Tudyk.) Despite finding Sarah Silverman incredibly annoying in real life, I loved how she portrayed her character.

The locations were within the games were excellent. Because Ralph’s game is celebrating 30 years, those characters move in a way that shows their retro nature. In Hero’s Duty, it showcased the hi-def of most first person shooters.

The story had everything you would expect out of a Pixar movie: a good plot, a heartbreaking moment, and entertaining characters. As important as the villain ultimately is, I thought (s)he could have used a touch more back story and development. (Since they took our cell phones at the door and wanded us, I will reveal nothing.)

I’d give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Current Music: Bug Hunt (Noisa Remix) by Skillerx

Keep Driving

Have you ever been going somewhere and just want to keep going right past it? Drive through the city. Past the noise and politics and pettiness until you hit nature where you can absorb the quiet. Drown out the din of real life as the breeze whispers to the trees.

Drive away from the beeps, whirs, tweets, and vibrations until you hit a simpler place welcoming you to a simpler time.

Driving to work and then just kept going. Driving until you hit ocean so you can watch your problems wash away on the salt waves. 

Maybe go north until you hit the border. Hoping a completely new place will have new, better problems.

Have you ever just wanted to go and not stop. Keep moving as the road rises to meet you chasing the sun to the place where it sets.

We all think this. We all dream this. What would happen if we actually did it?

Sing It To Me

I had my music going on shuffle to drown out my cube-mates tuneless rendition of some soul song. As the shuffle progressed it started to sound like the soundtrack to a really bizarre courtship. Just using the titles I’ve already created several story arcs that could fit. It’s a fun exercise in imagination and illuminates how under stimulated I am at work.

My Blood – Ellie Goulding

How to Be a Heartbreaker – Marina and the Diamonds

I Didn’t Mean It – The Belle Brigade

Wreck of the Day – Anna Nalick

Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely – BSB

Go – My Favorite Highway

Best of You – Foo Fighters

Eyes Open – Taylor Swift

In the Middle of the Night – Within Temptation

Freak Like Me – Halestorm

The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade – The Joy Formidable

May the Best One Win

Since reality competitions became a staple on TV, I’ve seen a variety of programs including Survivor, American Idol, The Swan (don’t get me started), Big Brother, The Amazing Race, etc. The current shows I’m watching are The Voice and Face Off, both in their third season.

The Voice, for those who don’t know, has four famed recording artists choosing a team of singers based on blind auditions. The four artists coach and mentor their respective teams. There are various battle rounds where coaches and/or the viewers will determine the winner. The final winner, the Voice, will get a recording contract among other things.

Face Off is a show where special effects make-up artists compete for several prizes and opportunities. Each week has a spotlight challenge where either prizes or safety are determined and a themed challenge where someone is eliminated. Themes have including recreating the catena scene from Star Wars, zombie Alice in Wonderland characters, disproportionate video game characters, and Chinese dragons.

One of the main things that set these shows apart from most other reality competition shows is that they are nicer. No one is truly out for blood. So many programs reward people for being manipulative and cutthroat but not these. Every contestant has skill. No one is there to be mocked and shamed for the schadenfreude of America.

You see more of a competitive element in The Voice but it is not edited or advertised in a way that promotes the ‘you’re-going-down’ mentality. The criticism is always constructive and never mean. You have to be the best to win but the contestants are gracious and kind. One guy who won his battle round immediately apologized to the girl who lost. As scripted as these can be, the produces didn’t generate that. It’s refreshing for a singing competition to have a more nurturing dynamic.

Face Off is the perfect show if you are tired of the standard reality TV smack down. I have never seen a competition where there was such strong camaraderie between the contestants. If someone’s mold is stuck, others jump in to help. When one of the younger contestants needs help, one of the veterans steps in. Each episode I see them helping, guiding, and praising each other.

One contestant who had been eliminated was allowed to rejoin the cast by winning the spotlight challenge. The remaining contestants were stoked to see everyone again. The girl who won was greeted with hugs and cheers. When someone was sent home that night, one of the girls audibly cried. I only saw one obnoxious diva this season and he lasted one episode.

There are a few reasons for this dynamic other than editing. Each contestant or team is responsible for their own idea and execution. People will step in for small things but if the overall design fails, it falls solely on the team or individual. Sabotage is difficult to accomplish in that situation.

I worked backstage at my college theater. If people on the tech crew hate each other, it makes life harder for everyone. It is so much easier to just get along. The contestants work in an industry where that is the prevailing mentality. They will likely see each other again in their professional lives. Play well now to play well later.

I’m immensely pleased that there are at least two reality shows that continue to garner ratings without Wild Kingdom-style fights and belittling judges. It’s things like this that actually make me want to watch TV.

What Do You Want from Me?

Most men don’t realize how little it takes to keep most women happy. 

The following applies to both genders but men tend to be much simpler. Favorite sport/movie genre, favorite beer, favorite carry-out, and you’re a great SO. Men tend to be happy knowing a woman will put up with them. 

Women are a bit more complicated but not by a lot. You just have to figure yours out.

My coworker’s SO has brought her flowers three times in the last month. When I told him she was going to get spoiled if he kept doing this, he replied “That’s the plan.” A friend of mine wants the three or four times a year at least. It’s a BFD. It can be a bouquet of carnations you grabbed at the grocery store but it’ll help keep her happy. I’m 100% neutral on flowers. Flowers are lovely and I always appreciate the gesture but if I never get them, I don’t care. I know a woman who doesn’t like flowers at all.

I would respond a lot better to a surprise that takes a little more effort or thought but was more subtle. I was coming over to my date’s house and we were probably going to grab carry-out. He surprised me with a lovely home cooked dinner. The flower-hater admitted to being the same way.

Women also require different levels of contact. One friend requires daily communication from her boyfriends. If I’ve been dating someone a while, daily contact is nice but I can’t guarantee I’ll have new and interesting things to say every day. A couple of phone calls and a few texts (on different days) a week will keep me happy. 

The levels of contact are based on the assumption that you will be seeing us on a regular basis. Again, what's regular depends on the woman. I want at least once a week. More is lovely so long as I can get things done. I know women who want more. If you can't meet her standard for regular on a given week, the expectation for contact usually goes up. If you can't see us, we expect you to talk to us to try and make up for it. This rule is suspended and open to negotiation in instances such as military deployment and certain government jobs.

If you royally screw up, a lot of women will appreciate jewelry or a fancy dinner. While I will never say no to these, I’d rather have Caps tickets. I know some women who’d rather have Ravens tickets. You have to find what speaks to her

Bottom line: We need you to make an effort. We need to know and believe you care. Prove to us that we’re important, that this is where you want to be. Getting to know us and utilizing that knowledge is part of that.

There is only one universal: Tell us we’re pretty. Mean it when you say it and don’t overuse it but by god, say it. 

Current Music: Someone Like You by Boys Like Girls

Alphabet Challenge Round 23

V is for Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum by Bruce Waldman, David Lindroth, and Margaret Rubiano. A pocket sized book about monsters in time for Halloween. Each section provides history, literary and cultural mythos, kill methods, and a geographic map with likely locations.

For something that billed itself as a guide to vampires, werewolves, and zombies, it was extremely one-sided toward vampires. The section on werewolves was lacking and the zombie section borrowed from the vampire section. Whether this is due to the lack of history or literary mythos, the latter two sections were disappointing after all the detail that went into the vampire section. Overall, I’d give it a meh. It was OK but I’ve read more interesting books in this genre.

A - American Virgin by Steven Seagle

B

C

D - Divergent by Veronica Roth

E - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

F - Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

G - The Great Fables Crossover by Bill Willingham

H - How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown

I - I Do But I Don't by Kamy Wicoff

J - Jane Austen Made Me Do It edited by Laurel Ann Nattress

K - Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman

L - A Little Night Magic by Lucy March

M - Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

N - Naked City edited by Ellen Datlow

O - One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde

P - Partials by Dan Wells

Q - Q & A by Vikas Swarup

R - Reality Bites Back by Jennifer L. Pozner

S - Songs of Love and Death edited by George R. R. Martin

T - The Tao of Dating by Ali Binazir

U - Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman

V - Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies by Bruce Waldman et al

W - White Girl Problems by Babe Walker

X - XVI by Julia Karr

Y - Yoga Bitch by Suzanne Morrison

Z - Zoo Story by Thomas French

Current Music: Virtue and Vice by Delain