Jan 15, 2011
Jan 12, 2011
The Beauty of Pixar
This has been bee-bopping (sp?) around the interwebs for a few weeks now, but it's a great video of clips from all eleven Pixar films. Sometimes the editing is a little clunky, but overall, it is very well done. It's incredible to see the breadth of character--yet continuity of style--the studio has managed over the past 15 years.
Jan 11, 2011
Sunday!
I had quite a Sunday this week. In fact, it was such an intense day that I had to use Monday as a day to not do the stuff that I did on Sunday.
What?
Anyway, so I'm a greeter at our church. That means I smile real big, open the door, and shake people's hands as they arrive on Sunday mornings.
I've always had this desire, though...
Of course, there wouldn't be anything there. I'd just want to see what the random people would do when I scream bloody murder. Sometimes, I might say "It's Godzilla!" or "Killer Honey Bees!" or "Barry Manilow!" Depending on people's reactions, they would either get prime church seating or a trip to the ER. So fun!
Well, I wasn't brave enough to try that this Sunday. Instead, we were having an all-church lunch after the service. When I arrived, a friend said "Josh, we might not have enough food! Go to Popeye's and buy a bunch of chicken!" I, of course, obliged.
When I arrived at Popeye's (side note: did you know that Popeye's beat KFC in a national double-blind taste test??), I ordered 50 pieces of chicken through the bulletproof glass and then waited for it to be ready. The friendly cashier gave me a drink on the house. I was happy.
A few minutes later, however, some guy walked into the Popeye's. It all seemed fine. He ordered a Po' Boy and was waiting for it when another guy came in. That guy turned to me and said "Hey, man, you want some weed?"
I politely demurred, so he went to the next guy. "Hey, man, you want some weed?" The Po' Boy guy looked at it and then said "Nah, I already got enough of my own."
So then the weed guy went up to the glass and asked the Popeye's cashier if he wanted any. The guy looked at it and then bought it through the little hole in the glass where you pass money.
Go figure--I saw my first ever drug deal go down!
After that, we had the church lunch. The pastor's kid is at that post-infant pre-toddler stage where he doesn't know what words mean, but he repeats anything you say. So, a friend of mine told the pastor that his son was going to be a politician. He was confused, so she picked him (the kid, not the pastor) up and put him on the table and said "Hello, my people!" The baby repeated "Hello, mah peepuh." Then she said "I'm going to be mayor of Chicago!" and he repeated "mauh Chee-go". Then he was done with all that and went down on all fours, pretending to be a dog or something.
It...was...adorable.
After church, we went to a bookstore and for a walk before going to the sketchiest sushi joint I've ever seen: Lawrence Fish Market. You have to go. It's super cheap, super weird, and super delicious. When we walked in, the shop was replete with (a) a seat that appeared to have been removed from the back of a minivan and placed in front of the cash register, (b) a book on learning English, (c) a bowl with a bunch of splatters on the wall behind it that looked unnervingly like blood, and (d) a whole frozen octopus.
Then we went back to Emily's place to eat. I really, really wanted to get The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer from the Redbox. It calls itself "the greatest story ever told." How could you not want to see that??
But Emily and my friend Bridget said no. So instead we watch How To Train Your Dragon. Oh, well.
*An enterprising reader may note that in one of the pictures, I gave myself six fingers on my right hand.
What?
Anyway, so I'm a greeter at our church. That means I smile real big, open the door, and shake people's hands as they arrive on Sunday mornings.
I've always had this desire, though...
Of course, there wouldn't be anything there. I'd just want to see what the random people would do when I scream bloody murder. Sometimes, I might say "It's Godzilla!" or "Killer Honey Bees!" or "Barry Manilow!" Depending on people's reactions, they would either get prime church seating or a trip to the ER. So fun!
Well, I wasn't brave enough to try that this Sunday. Instead, we were having an all-church lunch after the service. When I arrived, a friend said "Josh, we might not have enough food! Go to Popeye's and buy a bunch of chicken!" I, of course, obliged.
When I arrived at Popeye's (side note: did you know that Popeye's beat KFC in a national double-blind taste test??), I ordered 50 pieces of chicken through the bulletproof glass and then waited for it to be ready. The friendly cashier gave me a drink on the house. I was happy.
A few minutes later, however, some guy walked into the Popeye's. It all seemed fine. He ordered a Po' Boy and was waiting for it when another guy came in. That guy turned to me and said "Hey, man, you want some weed?"
I politely demurred, so he went to the next guy. "Hey, man, you want some weed?" The Po' Boy guy looked at it and then said "Nah, I already got enough of my own."
So then the weed guy went up to the glass and asked the Popeye's cashier if he wanted any. The guy looked at it and then bought it through the little hole in the glass where you pass money.
Go figure--I saw my first ever drug deal go down!
After that, we had the church lunch. The pastor's kid is at that post-infant pre-toddler stage where he doesn't know what words mean, but he repeats anything you say. So, a friend of mine told the pastor that his son was going to be a politician. He was confused, so she picked him (the kid, not the pastor) up and put him on the table and said "Hello, my people!" The baby repeated "Hello, mah peepuh." Then she said "I'm going to be mayor of Chicago!" and he repeated "mauh Chee-go". Then he was done with all that and went down on all fours, pretending to be a dog or something.
It...was...adorable.
After church, we went to a bookstore and for a walk before going to the sketchiest sushi joint I've ever seen: Lawrence Fish Market. You have to go. It's super cheap, super weird, and super delicious. When we walked in, the shop was replete with (a) a seat that appeared to have been removed from the back of a minivan and placed in front of the cash register, (b) a book on learning English, (c) a bowl with a bunch of splatters on the wall behind it that looked unnervingly like blood, and (d) a whole frozen octopus.
Then we went back to Emily's place to eat. I really, really wanted to get The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer from the Redbox. It calls itself "the greatest story ever told." How could you not want to see that??
But Emily and my friend Bridget said no. So instead we watch How To Train Your Dragon. Oh, well.
*An enterprising reader may note that in one of the pictures, I gave myself six fingers on my right hand.
Jan 10, 2011
Dick Winters, 1918-2011
I found out today that on January 2, Major Richard "Dick" Winters passed away. He was 92 years old.
Major Winters was a relative unknown until Stephen Ambrose's 1992 history of the WWII service of Company E ("Easy"), 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, entitled Band of Brothers. The story is one of those that has to be read to be believed. The men of Easy Company--and their comrades throughout the 101st--parachuted into Normandy in the wee morning hours of D-Day. They cleared the Germans from Normandy. They parachuted into Holland during Operation Market Garden. They were surrounded, yet held out, around the Belgian town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. They marched on, and took, Berchtesgaden--Adolf Hitler's summer retreat. They helped liberate concentration camps.
And then those survived came home. Some went to college, while others went to work. They married, had children, bought homes, and continued life, like all our World War II veterans, unsung and dignified. Major Winters, after winning the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Normandy, and after having led Easy Company for much of the war, went back to his home in Pennsylvania, where he eventually settled down on a quiet plot of land to live his life. Even today, his actions for taking out a number of German 88mm cannons behind enemy lines on D-Day are taught at West Point as ideal on-the-ground tactics.
Winters, from all that I've seen and read of him, was quiet, sharp, and self-effacing. He spent much of his life extolling his comrades-in-arms. I'm sorry he's gone. The world--quite literally--is better because of him, and ultimately, as a legacy, what more could one ask for?
Major Winters was a relative unknown until Stephen Ambrose's 1992 history of the WWII service of Company E ("Easy"), 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, entitled Band of Brothers. The story is one of those that has to be read to be believed. The men of Easy Company--and their comrades throughout the 101st--parachuted into Normandy in the wee morning hours of D-Day. They cleared the Germans from Normandy. They parachuted into Holland during Operation Market Garden. They were surrounded, yet held out, around the Belgian town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. They marched on, and took, Berchtesgaden--Adolf Hitler's summer retreat. They helped liberate concentration camps.
And then those survived came home. Some went to college, while others went to work. They married, had children, bought homes, and continued life, like all our World War II veterans, unsung and dignified. Major Winters, after winning the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Normandy, and after having led Easy Company for much of the war, went back to his home in Pennsylvania, where he eventually settled down on a quiet plot of land to live his life. Even today, his actions for taking out a number of German 88mm cannons behind enemy lines on D-Day are taught at West Point as ideal on-the-ground tactics.
Winters, from all that I've seen and read of him, was quiet, sharp, and self-effacing. He spent much of his life extolling his comrades-in-arms. I'm sorry he's gone. The world--quite literally--is better because of him, and ultimately, as a legacy, what more could one ask for?
Jan 7, 2011
Unicorn vs. Narwhal
An epic tale of "love, war, and triumph over adversity" by Adrian Molina. I recently discovered it's* brilliance.
*Yes, this is supposed to be 'it's', because I am saying that the film itself is the definition of brilliance, not simply that it displays the quality of something brilliant.
*Yes, this is supposed to be 'it's', because I am saying that the film itself is the definition of brilliance, not simply that it displays the quality of something brilliant.
Jan 6, 2011
Merry Orthodox Christmas Eve, With Bonus Musings on Missing Limbs!
Clearly, I haven't gotten over the fact that it's January now and Christmas has ended. Each year, I'm the rabid dog who guards the tree from being taken down until early February, so we'll see how that goes this year. Even if normal Christmas is over, though, a friend of mine converted to eastern Orthodoxy yesterday afternoon, so I feel that I can claim her new Christmas as my own, at least for blogging purposes.
So, I just discovered (courtesy of Drawn!) Nathan Stapley's hi-larious comic about himself over at Double Fine Action Comics. Example:
Before normal Christmas, he did his own reinterpretation of A Christmas Carol, the entirety of which I have pasted below:
I was rolling on the ground laughing (OK...I was quietly chortling at my desk) when I saw Scrooge's reaction to Tiny Tim: "What's wrong with that awesome kid?" And the fact that instead of being simply a gimpy little boy, he has a disease that all his limbs will fall off until he dies.
Which made me remember about the Moody Church Christmas Festival that Emily and I went to this year. It was wicked cold and snowy and gross, and I almost wussed out, but Emily wanted to go, and I felt like I'd never live it down if I opted to skip. So, we went, and it was one of the best Christmas concerts I've ever been to--choir, full orchestra, handbells, carols, poinsettias, and a guy who was missing an arm.
He was sitting right in front of us, so I could totally stare the whole time and he wouldn't notice. So, full disclosure, I have this thing where in another life I think it would be cool to be totally different than I am now, kind of like some people do for midgets or my friend does for Messianic Jews or Emily's dad does for Aretha Franklin. Except for me, I think it would be incredible to be missing a limb or two. Not that I actually want that to befall me now, but in a weird theoretical sense I'd like to be able to play piano with my toes or wear super awesome prosthetics that are kind of like dinosaur legs and then have a made-for-TV movie about overcoming the odds and whatever. I always wished, though, that the prosthetics could be as good as they are in Star Wars so that I could switch out to a real hand again whenever I wanted to. But when I felt like it, I could have a laser cannon or a drill or a dictionary for an arm instead. Alas, technology has not yet caught up with my dreams. Someone should get on that.
That means my reaction to this guy at the concert was a lot like Scrooge's to Tiny Tim in the comic: "That guy is awesome." Afterward, I tried to nonchalantly gauge Emily's interest in missing limbs, so our conversation went something like:
Somewhere out there today, there's a hipster who is missing an arm (oh, yeah, did I mention that he was a hipster?). In spite of that, he has my respect.
So, Merry Christmas, Orthodox people! I hope your celebration doesn't involve you actually losing any limbs.
I was rolling on the ground laughing (OK...I was quietly chortling at my desk) when I saw Scrooge's reaction to Tiny Tim: "What's wrong with that awesome kid?" And the fact that instead of being simply a gimpy little boy, he has a disease that all his limbs will fall off until he dies.
Which made me remember about the Moody Church Christmas Festival that Emily and I went to this year. It was wicked cold and snowy and gross, and I almost wussed out, but Emily wanted to go, and I felt like I'd never live it down if I opted to skip. So, we went, and it was one of the best Christmas concerts I've ever been to--choir, full orchestra, handbells, carols, poinsettias, and a guy who was missing an arm.
He was sitting right in front of us, so I could totally stare the whole time and he wouldn't notice. So, full disclosure, I have this thing where in another life I think it would be cool to be totally different than I am now, kind of like some people do for midgets or my friend does for Messianic Jews or Emily's dad does for Aretha Franklin. Except for me, I think it would be incredible to be missing a limb or two. Not that I actually want that to befall me now, but in a weird theoretical sense I'd like to be able to play piano with my toes or wear super awesome prosthetics that are kind of like dinosaur legs and then have a made-for-TV movie about overcoming the odds and whatever. I always wished, though, that the prosthetics could be as good as they are in Star Wars so that I could switch out to a real hand again whenever I wanted to. But when I felt like it, I could have a laser cannon or a drill or a dictionary for an arm instead. Alas, technology has not yet caught up with my dreams. Someone should get on that.
That means my reaction to this guy at the concert was a lot like Scrooge's to Tiny Tim in the comic: "That guy is awesome." Afterward, I tried to nonchalantly gauge Emily's interest in missing limbs, so our conversation went something like:
Me: Wow...that was the best rendition of 'O Holy Night' I've ever heard.
Em: Yeah, my dad was totally right when he suggested we see this.
Me: Yeah, I'm glad we came.
Em: Me, too.
Me: So, did you see how the guy in front of us was missing his right arm?
Em: Uh...(awkward sideways glance and 'I'm confused' smile)...no...
Me: (way too excited) It was so cool to see how he would carry his program and move stuff around and...
Em: (worried expression)
Me: Oh, yeah, but 'O Holy Night' was amazing. (put hands in pockets and casually glance around the room for something that isn't missing a limb to stare at).
Somewhere out there today, there's a hipster who is missing an arm (oh, yeah, did I mention that he was a hipster?). In spite of that, he has my respect.
So, Merry Christmas, Orthodox people! I hope your celebration doesn't involve you actually losing any limbs.
Jan 5, 2011
My Name Is Josh, And I Have A Problem
In A Charlie Brown Christmas, Lucy, playing the role of psychiatrist, tells a depressed Charlie Brown that "as they say on TV, the mere fact you realize you need help indicates that you are not too fargone."
I'm here to say that I need help. Why?
I think I might have an addiction.
To Korean Dramas.
There, I said it. KDramas have grabbed a hold of me. Terrific.
But what is a KDrama, you ask?
In Korea, TV shows are done in a different way than in the United States. In the US, we have a show that runs for an undetermined number of seasons. Each season has roughly 22 episodes, usually unplanned for the entirety of the run. That is, when season 4, episode 1 begins, season 4, episode 22 isn't yet written (though writers may have a rough outline of the season's progression). Additionally, there is no specific ending point. A show gets canceled (or its writers get bored), and in response, the writers create a 'series finale' to tie up any loose ends. This means that many shows limp along for an extra season or two instead of ending on their highest and most plausible notes.
Korean shows, on the other hand, begin with a predetermined number of episodes and a prewritten story. This allows them to be full and contained. Instead of a 'what silly adventures will our favorite characters have this week?' It is 'in what way will the characters develop in this episode'. The difference seems subtle but is actually pretty major. It's basically what we would view as a long miniseries in the States.
I'm currently in the middle/end of my first one, and I'm hooked. It's called Coffee Prince (or 1st Shop of Coffee Prince), and I won't ruin the details, but the basic premise is: what happens when a tomboy girl pretends to be a guy to get jobs but then falls in love with a man she works with who thinks she's a guy? Follow that? It's full of angst (girl wants guy to know she's a girl but is afraid to tell him, guy thinks girl is a guy and starts falling for her and is dealing with the possibility that he's gay (even though he's always liked girls), guy has to deal with altering his view of girl when it is revealed that she's a woman) and some great side stories. I would totally recommend watching them.
It also displays a lot of differences between American and Korean culture, such as the importance of respect for your elders, the complexity of traditional women's roles vs. modern women's roles, and the nuances of familial/romantic relationships. It is all insanely good, so you should watch it. In fact, here's the link. Click it. CLICK IT.
I'm here to say that I need help. Why?
I think I might have an addiction.
To Korean Dramas.
There, I said it. KDramas have grabbed a hold of me. Terrific.
But what is a KDrama, you ask?
In Korea, TV shows are done in a different way than in the United States. In the US, we have a show that runs for an undetermined number of seasons. Each season has roughly 22 episodes, usually unplanned for the entirety of the run. That is, when season 4, episode 1 begins, season 4, episode 22 isn't yet written (though writers may have a rough outline of the season's progression). Additionally, there is no specific ending point. A show gets canceled (or its writers get bored), and in response, the writers create a 'series finale' to tie up any loose ends. This means that many shows limp along for an extra season or two instead of ending on their highest and most plausible notes.
Korean shows, on the other hand, begin with a predetermined number of episodes and a prewritten story. This allows them to be full and contained. Instead of a 'what silly adventures will our favorite characters have this week?' It is 'in what way will the characters develop in this episode'. The difference seems subtle but is actually pretty major. It's basically what we would view as a long miniseries in the States.
I'm currently in the middle/end of my first one, and I'm hooked. It's called Coffee Prince (or 1st Shop of Coffee Prince), and I won't ruin the details, but the basic premise is: what happens when a tomboy girl pretends to be a guy to get jobs but then falls in love with a man she works with who thinks she's a guy? Follow that? It's full of angst (girl wants guy to know she's a girl but is afraid to tell him, guy thinks girl is a guy and starts falling for her and is dealing with the possibility that he's gay (even though he's always liked girls), guy has to deal with altering his view of girl when it is revealed that she's a woman) and some great side stories. I would totally recommend watching them.
It also displays a lot of differences between American and Korean culture, such as the importance of respect for your elders, the complexity of traditional women's roles vs. modern women's roles, and the nuances of familial/romantic relationships. It is all insanely good, so you should watch it. In fact, here's the link. Click it. CLICK IT.
Merry Orthodox Christmas!
It's Christmas in Armenia tomorrow and in the rest of the Orthodox world on Jan. 7. Thought I'd preempt it with an image vaguely reminiscent of this one:
Jan 4, 2011
Quand Soudain L'Amour Est LÃ
Encore un extrait du Roi Lion, maintenant c'est la chanson "Quand Soudain l'Amour est LÃ "
Ça me plaît!
Ça me plaît!
Jan 3, 2011
Il Vit En Toi
Or, "He Lives In You." It's an amazing video from the French cast of Le Roi Lion ("The Lion King").
Lyrics (with my very, very rough translation in italics):
La nuit est* l'esprit de la vie
The night is the spirit of life
Appelle
Calling
Mambella
Mambella
Et une voix comme l'enfant qui a peur
And a voice like a child who is scared
Répond
Replies
Oh mambella
Oh, mambella
Il vit en toi
He lives in you
Il vit en moi
He lives in me
Toujours il veille
Forever he keeps watch
Sur ce que tu vois
On that which you see
Dans l'eau qui part comme un miroir
In the water that leaves like a mirror
Même dans ton reflet**
The exact same [way] in your reflection
Il vit en toi
He lives in you
La nuit est* l'esprit de la vie
The night is the spirit of life
Appelle
Calling
Mambella
Mambella
Et une voix comme l'enfant qui a peur
And a voice like a child who is scared
Répond
Replies
Oh mambella
Oh, mambella
Il vit en toi
He lives in you
Il vit en moi
He lives in me
Toujours il veille
Forever he keeps watch
Sur ce que tu vois
On that which you see
Dans l'eau qui part comme un miroir
In the water that leaves like a mirror
Même dans ton reflet**
The exact same [way] in your reflection
Il vit en toi
He lives in you
*This must be 'est' ('is') instead of 'et' ('and', as in the original English) if the second line is the singular 'appelle'. However, if the second line is the plural 'appellent' (pron. the same as 'appelle'), it would be 'et'. I've chosen to make it singular, since I like the idea of 'the night' and 'the spirit of life' being one and the same (representing Mufasa, the deceased father) , paralleling the singular, fearful respondent voice (representing Simba, the living son). Different from the English, but a better point made.
**I went for a more word-by-word translation here. The point that it is making, in less clunkly language would be: "...in the water which, like your image in a mirror, leaves, he lives in you."
**I went for a more word-by-word translation here. The point that it is making, in less clunkly language would be: "...in the water which, like your image in a mirror, leaves, he lives in you."
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