Normally, I'm not a "race car" fellow. I mean, it's just cars driving in a circle for several hours. That's boring, right? Until this year's Indianapolis 500, I'd have said one-hundred percent yes. However, I love events of pop cultural significance, so with all the buzz surrounding Danica Patrick, I actually decided to tune in to the entire race.
Now, the IndyCar hype machine was kicking pretty hardcore; Danica was on every show from PTI to Letterman. Dave's part owner of her race team, which added more to my curiosity. Dave's all about the win, so I figured she wouldn't be on the team if she didn't have some mad skills to back up her general hottness. Still, this race had the potential to be a let-down reminiscent of Ring Two. She almost won the pole, but that didn't guarantee that she wouldn't execute a rookie choke when the chips were down and the race was on. Yet, I watched despite all my Indy misgivings.
So, how'd she fair? Danica Patrick freaking ROCKED, that's how she faired. She started in and held 4th place for a good while, dipping into 3rd from time to time. Danica looked absolutely solid... until her car stalled at one of her pit stops and she dropped to 16th place. Still, she stayed dead calm and battled back to 8th. Then, after a wreck that required a restart because of potential oil on the the track, Danica Patrick deftly manuvered from 8th to 1st place, becoming the first woman to ever lead the Indy 500. Unfortunately, she ran low on fuel with just under 10 laps to go and ended up finishing in 4th. Still, the fact that she was able to recover from what seemed like a race ending setback with such grace and composure, despite the pressures of being a rookie AND being so high profile was quite remarkable. Rock on, Danica!
Danica aside, I can't believe how much I enjoyed the race. Seeing people driving at 220 MPH not 7" apart from one another is intense, period. It's like watching Luke pilot an X-wing, but it's real. So, I take back all the not so nice things I've ever said about IndyCar.
Now that the posting streak is pretty well-broken, I really don't feel compelled to start another one. I was a slave to the streak, posting garbage just to keep it going. I am my blog's bitch no more. I'll post whenever I feel like it, with the provision that I'll post at least once a week.
Night!
No, I didn't get lazy and quit the blog. It was a technical issue that so abruptly killed the two month long posting streak. See, this blog is kindly hosted by the fine folks at Freeverse Software. Freeverse is known for quarky and brilliant games like Burning Monkey Solitaire (which I recently reviewed), Burning Monkey Mahjong and their latest, Kill Monty. Now, one might ask, "what is their fascination with monkeys?" The answer is sort of a secret and I'm kind of uncomfortable writing about, but I think they'll forgive me... Basically, Freeverse shares their office building with several packs of wild monkeys. The monkeys were already there when they moved in, and while I don't fully understand why they can't evict the monkeys, I know it has something to do with New York City's rent control laws. Anyway, sometimes the monkeys resent sharing their building with a software developer, so once or twice every few years the monkeys take a random server from FV HQ and whimsically toss it off the roof just to gleefully watch as it shatters on the street below. Such was the case last week and that's why my blog was halted.
I'll post again later, but first I'm off to buy more anime.
Let me start by saying that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was definitely the best of the three prequals. It was definitely the darkest of all six Star Wars films. Anakin Skywalker falls from grace hard and the film doesn't hold back much. The Jedi Order gets slaughtered, even the children, though, the door closes just as Anakin draws his lightsaber. It was interesting to see the Palpatine wrap Anakin in the shroud of the Dark Side and ascend to become ruler of the Galactic Empire. I loved seeing the Emperor's physicians transform the charred body of Anakin Skywalker into the cold machine known as Darth Vader. My favorite moment was probably when they lowered the mask onto Vader's face as the camera looked outward through his eyes. I felt like I was Darth Vader, if only for a second.
However, despite all of the above coolness, none of the prequals are as good as their predecessors. I think the problem, ironically enough, is that they're so full of computer generated imagery that oft times they just don't feel real. The original films may not be as high tech, with thousands of droids and starships exploding everywhere, but it's the lack of such that makes them so believable. The droids are made of metal and plastic, not pixels. The Storm Troopers are actual flesh and blood human beings, not CG models. All three of the original Star Wars films just feel more organic. Aside from the two-on-one lightsaber duel in Episode I, not one scene in any of the prequals is nearly as exhilarating as the rebels' attack on the Death Star. It's compelling to watch human pilots flying through space, ardently trying to kill one another. When Biggs knows he's about to die, it strikes a chord because he's an actual person and not computer generated. We care about Biggs because he's real. I feel no emotional connection to CG droids and clones. Darth Vader said it best: "Don't be so proud of this technological terror you've constructed." He was talking about the Death Star, but it also applies to Lucas' film making. The prequals often feel like comic books, whereas the originals feel like genuine sci-fi films.
Ok, I had a longer post planned, but it's so absolutely amazing, I'll save it for tomorrow. Something so amazing is best saved for Tuesday. I mean, we all know about Tuesdays... right? Yeah...
Today was a tad on the slow side, which is pretty normal for a Sunday. Nothing thrilling ever happens on the weekends. I'm really more of a weekday fellow, they're just more interesting. More tomorrow!
I'm quite the fan of anime, but I don't trust myself when it comes to choosing new anime. There's just so much. So, I have my friend, Eddie, advise me on what to get. He's an Anime Guru. The thing that makes Eddie so great is that he tailors his recommendations toward the viewer's tastes, rather than try to pawn off something completely different. I know what I like in my fiction, I don't need anyone giving me off the wall suggestions.
I'm the same with music, I like a very specific sound and tone and certain thematic elements. My music tastes are far from eclectic. However, my brother insists that I should absolutely LOVE Modest Mouse. I'm really picky about my music, I only truly like three artists, Aimee Mann, Alanis Morissette and Nirvana. That's pretty much all I have on my iPod U2. That's right, I have the U2 iPod with no U2 music. Oh, the irony! Anyway, all the way to and from AnimeNation, we HAD to listen to Modest Mouse. No iPod, just the Modest Mouse CD, because they're angry and evidently I like that. However, my brother doesn't get that I'm not filled with rage against society in-general, or God, or whatever else Modest Mouse is raging over. I listen to music that either matches my mood or my experiences. People dig music for different reasons, those are mine. So, I don't have to love Modest Mouse. In fact, being told what to love only makes me hate it. Besides, Modest Mouse is totally ridiculous name, I can't support that.
I wrote my second short story today, I may post it here tomorrow.
Well, today was pretty decent. I had yet another dental appointment, which is always enjoyable. I only had a filling and a cleaning, nothing exciting, but nothing brutally painful either. Rock on there!
Then, since I wasn't drooling blood or anything of that nature, my brother and I hit the movie theater to pick up 10 Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith tickets. I really have no need to get tickets a week in advance, it's mostly just tradition. People in Tampa don't seem to jump on the pop culture bandwagon. Even for Episode 1, nobody stood in line dressed like Darth Vader, theaters didn't sell out. Theaters never sell out here. Nobody gets excited unless it involves getting sloshed and catching beads at a parade. Tampa's a real cultural hot bed.
I can't believe I've made 60 straight posts. Sure, some of the posts are ridiculously weak, but they're here. Doesn't that count for something? It's my blog, so I say yes!
Alright, my last few posts have been pretty weak, save for the "Screw Flanders" post. That, in my opinion, was blog GOLD. However, I admit that the others were just flat out laziness. I've had trouble staying motivated in my writing lately. Fiction, reviews, the blog, everything. This obviously must change right now. I promise more blog action, without all the unpleasant bloggy after effects! Anybody who's experienced them will know what I mean...
So, last night I watched the AppleSeed movie and it was one of the coolest pieces of animation I've ever seen. The opening sequence alone is worth the $20 I threw down for the DVD. I mean, it's the sort of thing that's so beautiful one feels kind of giggly and teary all at once. The story itself was also good, but it's the visual elements that make AppleSeed such a unique work of anime.
That's it for now, I'll have more to write after a good night's sleep.
Eventually I'll have something interesting to write. Eventually.
Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders Screw Flanders
I lied, I have nothin' interesting! Perhaps tomorrow.
So, today I relaxed after pounding out my First to Fight review. It was a tad dull, but at least I'm not throwing up every few hours like my brother. He has some sort of stomach bug. Tomorrow I plan to be more interesting. I did do something incredibly dorky earlier. A friend of mine told me about a brutal blind date he had by way of craigslist.org. I'd never heard of it before, so I went for a look. Now, I'm not quite in a place where advertising on the interweb for a date seems like a grand idea, but I did try something equally dorky, if not more so. Ever since I saw Ghost World, I've been thinking more about my old friend, Annie. I know it's ridiculous to still wonder about her, but I suppose she's kind of my Rosebud. Anyway, I was bored, so I posted this on craigslist Tampa. Yes, folks, I am teh lame!
I just finished writing my review of First to Fight. Yay! However, I now don't feel like writing here. Yay!
Aimee Mann's new album, The Forgotten Arm, comes out in just a few hours! Rock on!
Ok, QuickTime 7 rocks so hardcore it's ridiculous! Check out Aimee Mann in HD. HD people, OMFG YAY! Sorry, I'm a tad giddy. Though, in a about one hour I'll be on my way to Gainesville for my brother's girlfriend's graduation party, which will make me far less giddy. It'll be 4 hours on the road to hang out with a bunch of people I don't know (or don't want to know) for an hour or so and a piece of cake I won't eat. OMFG YAY! At least I have my iPod U2 to keep me company while mom & Randy (ex-husband) argue over the map.