lost for lost

My hand is still killing me, but I'm not so worried about it anymore. It stopped bleeding, and I can type, but I don't think I need a doctor (which i kinda did last night).

Anyway, watched Lost last night and was disappointed, Jin was my favorite character and without him on the show I really don't care to follow the other characters and their stories. Maybe Sayed, but not really enough. Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley have gotten stale to me. I really couldn't care less about them and what happens to them. Locke is insanely annoying, and the other side characters are just mediocre. Jin and Sun had the most interesting storylines to me. Jin just isn't interesting enough without her husband. Unless it's relvealed that he's really alive next season, I'm done with Lost.

Though I must admit if they killed Jack I'd probably start watching again. He's turned into such a whiny bastard. And someone should just walk up to Ben and put a bullet in the back of his head, then nuke the island.

The End.

what it is

I saw Shakespeare in the Park last night with J_ (she's home for the summer). It was fun, but got a little cold. Of course she didn't bring a sweatshirt so I gave her mine and was a bit too chilly to really follow the second half. I had read the play so it wasn't like I was really missing anything. The performance was alright. I think they played some scenes up for laughs a bit too much instead, making it seem a little too light hearted for a tragedy. But over all I enjoyed it as I had never been to a play in Central Park before.

Now I have to go into work to work a closing shift (until 10:45) and I think I'm going to be working with the two employees who annoy me the most.

Okey dokey, off to the salt mines.

EDIT 11:00 PM: Work was okay, but someone broke a shot glass and i didn't know. Said person cleaned up the broken glass with a bar rag, but forgot to clean out the rag afterwards. Thus later when I saw the bar rag laying in the sink at the end of the night i reached to rinse it out. I squeezed it and a shard of glass jutted from the rag and cut me very deeply in the annoying area right between the index finger and thumb. It hurts like a motherfucker and hasn't stopped bleeding yet (cut occurred a half hour ago). I'm stuck typing with one hand, and am just waiting for my Mom to finish watching the season finale of Lost so I can go down and watch it from the beginning. grahhh my hand fucking hurts.

As my pa Mercedes would say: Kill myself!

Do I really suck that bad?

I've been converting all my old files from my old computer onto my new one (a bit of an annoying process) going through what I should keep, and what I should just dump. I've come across a few gems and much more than a few really old crappy essays and stories which I promptly dumped. I found more duplicates that I was aware that I had (why did I let them take up the space on my hard drive, who knows?).


In any case this is an opinion article I submitted to a small newspaper in boston that was accepting open submissions. It was rejected, but very nicely encouredging me to try again. I never did because, I don't really know why. The point is, I know it's not even a little bit timely. In fact it's very dated, and it's a bit standard (I totally understand why it didn't it), but it isn't bad. So instead of just dumping it into the trash I figured I'd post it here as a dumping ground, so I can feel like it got used in some way in my life. I did spend some time on it, so why not make use of it. Right?

Anyway, here it is, feel free not to read it.

11/18/2003

As I turned my TV on Tuesday morning, the first sound that echoed from the speaker was a news anchorwoman informing me that gay marriage had just been legalized in the state of Massachusetts.

Like the majority of heterosexuals in this state I was aware that there was a case at the state supreme court in this regard but I also knew that it had been in trial for a few years, and figured that it would be a few years more before anything was actually established.

Well, something was definitely established, and though this ruling realistically affects only a minority of the population, the majority of us will be up in arms, either for or against, even though it does not affect our lives. This is not a law that ensures cleaner drinking water, not a law helping fund our schools, and not a law repealing any tax or tax cut. If this ruling went the other way our lives wouldn’t have changed. Luckily, the supreme court legalized gay marriage, and you know what, us heterosexuals can still get married like before, schools are still underfunded, there’s still toxins in the water, and I haven’t seen a penny of that tax cut. I can barely tell the difference between now and then.

This ruling was a long time coming and is just the next natural progression for a free and civil society. This is the whole “All men are created equal” bit we’ve been hearing about so much since we first studied the Constitution back in grade school. We are either all created equal with the same protection under the law or we’re not. The Massachusetts Supreme Court upheld the belief that we are.

Though this ruling may not affect our lives in the secular world it will be perceived to have an impact on the religious one. I doubt I’m the first to say that the courts decision should in no way affect how marriage is upheld in as a religious ceremony. Whether or not gay marriage is something that should be instituted by the various religious institutions is not up to the state. Likewise, how a legal marriage is defined by the state should not be up to any religious group, or groups. As a religious Jew I don’t know how comfortable I am with a religious gay marriage ceremony. But the fact remains, my religious beliefs in regards to a religious marriage should be completely separate from the state’s definition of a legal marriage.

Unfortunately many people can’t make this sort of distinction. America is a secular country, regardless as to how many Christmas advertisements you might see. And as a secular country it is very important to put the secular needs of the people ahead of any religious dogma.

Hence, in keeping with the upcoming holiday spirit it’s important for us to remember, as Rabbi Hillel once said, “Do not do unto others as you would not want them to do unto you.” This means, for those of you out there who disagree with the courts ruling, you don’t have to go out of your way to embrace the gay community, just allow them to live the same rich full life you yourself wish to live.

-Amichai Greene
11/18/03

So there you go. Who knows what other pointless crap I can find to take up space on this blog?

I should hold onto my thoughts

So I was thinking about a political entry, only I realized I just put down all my ideas in a comment on Rawbean's blog and putting them up here would be redundant. So I was going to do a food blog instead, talk about the food system in this country, but then I realized I ranted about that not so long ago in a comment on Amber's blog, leaving me with very little to write about now.

So, instead of what could have been well thought out essays on current events you're stuck with my less well thought out rants on those previously mentioned blogs, and a bit of the rest of the random thoughts that are currently floating through my head.

I am getting totally burnt out of working at Starbucks. All my energy is just gone. Like a zombie going through the motions. And it doesn't help that I've been getting mostly closing shifts and that just kills the entire day.

Was invited to an underwear party that I couldn't go to because of my previously mentioned gripe. I probably wouldn't have gone to said party if I was able because I don't so much like people, especially strangers, and I would have known no one at said party save the hostess. And though I wouldn't mind seeing the hostess in her underwear (she's crazy hot and she knows it), I don't know how comfortable I would have been letting everyone else see me in my underwear. But it became a moot point, which is the part that's bothering me.

I liked the Iron Man movie. It was kinda predictable (who is he gonna fight but another big Iron man?) but was fun anyway. Not too keen on Gwenneth Paltrow, liked how they changed Jarvis from a human butler in the comic to a computer ai system in his house. Am interested to see where they go with the Ten Rings terrorist group and how they link it to The Mandarin without seeming racist in the next movies. Also think it's funny that Samuel L Jackson played Nick Fury as Nick Fury in the Ultimate Universe is modeled after Sam Jackson. Weird meta-fiction post-modern stuff going on there.

Can't wait for Indiana Jones. Am a little worried about it though. The previous movies are so good (Well the first and the third ones are) and it's been so long and so much build up that if this one is anything but amazing it's gonna be a disappointment.

Weired out a bit after talking to a co-worker about the batman movies. It turns out that the first michael keaton batman film came out a year before she was born (she's only 18). I remember seeing that in the theater.

Got a new computer a while ago (a macbook pro laptop) and having been having fun using it. Only I don't really need all the applications that it comes with and don't do music or movies, and feel like I should have just bought a regular macbook instead. On the plus side it was about 600 dollars cheaper because I was able to get one on clearance (only 2.2 ghz instead of the newest model which is 2.4) through the NYU computer store using my brothers student discount. I spent what I was planning on spending on a regular macbook, but could have definately saved a lot more money (and I really don't have that much to spare).

Another brother just got engaged. I don't remember if I posted bout this or not, and am too lazy to go back and check. I'm happy and excited for him. I just wish people stopped assuming this would make me unhappy for some reason as he is younger than me (they assumed the same thing when my other brother who just got married about two months ago, who is also younger - I have three younger brothers, I am the eldest). What kind of ass hole do people think I am that I'd be sad because my younger brothers found happiness first? I'm a bit jealous (not that I want to be married, but it'd be nice not to be single) I won't lie about that, but it's not an angry jealous, it's more like a be inspired jealous to make me get off my ass a bit more. And compared to the happy, the jealous is infinitesimal. And I'm psyched for the wedding. The last one was just so much fun.

In the same vein, I wish people would stop asking me when it's going to be my turn to get married. It's like they want to depress me by dredging up my singleness (this goes double for the people that mention J_ in the same sentence, as if talking about my ex who I was crazy, madly, head over heels in love with and who broke up with me, is supposed to somehow make me feel good about myself and my life? Assholes).

I just finished a short story that I'm kinda proud of and want to maybe send it out to literary magazines. But I'm still looking for some readers to give me some feedback. So if you are interested in helping me out, and reading it and letting me know what you think I'd be happy to send it to you. I'm not posting it in my fiction blog because I want to do something with it and that's just for random ideas and work I don't care as much about.

That's it I guess. Thanks for reading

Suckers.

blogs to read

I started blogging a few years ago and most of the other blogs I read back then are gone now and I've culled them from my links.

So, anyone have some suggestions of blogs you like that you think I should also read?

Random tv series idea

I've been with sickness for four days and finally, today, after skipping work and spending most of my day watching all 13 episodes of Wonderfalls on DVD (thus renewing my love of Caroline Dhavernas - and I was gonna link to the last time I wrote of her, but the stupid technocrati search sucks and I don't want to go through all my old posts, so you'll just have to deal with IMDB instead).

Anyway, as I was watching a completely unrelated idea popped into my head that I think would work nicely as a tv series.


It's just a sketch as I don't really have any characters, just a basic premise. The format is an hour long drama, but hopefully this one would be a very funny hour dark comedy sort of hour long drama. A preacher, who is better at philosophizing and theological studies than actually connecting one on one with other human beings losses his faith after an accidental fireball blew up his house of worship and killed all of his parishioners. He can't get work at any other house of worship, mostly due to the fact that his last one blew up, so he is forced to work the night shift at a 24 wedding chapel, marrying inebriated couples more in love than he feels he's ever been. His life is going down the drains, disconnecting from the rest of the world, until he starts being haunted by the ghosts of all his dead parishioners, forcing him to engage in the actual world by helping the lost couples in love who stumble into his chapel in the wee hours of the morning.

Of course there would need to be other characters, and a love interest for our preacher, but I haven't come up with that yet. This is just the bud of an idea. It's kinda lame, kinda a rip off of almost all the work of Bryan Fuller, but what can you do?

5 comics that should be movies

Because I just read Cracked.com's 5 Upcoming Comic book Movies that must be stopped I decided to come up with a reverse list of comic books that probably have no chance of becoming movies, but should be.

In no particular Order:

RESURRECTION MAN


His name is Mitch Shelley and he was created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett and Jackson Guice for DC comics.

He isn't a traditional superhero and his power is derived from something a bit more dark and twisted than say more wholesome yet anguished heroes, such as Superman, Spider-man or those in The Fantastic Four. He doesn't have a secret identity persay, more like an absence of an identity all together. His basic plot thread is as such: Mitch Shelley, a mob lawyer in South Carolina who, unwittingly, through his connections is subjected to an experiment in Nanotechnolgy. He is bonded with with nanomachines called Tektites, which result in his death. He is soon resurrected by the tektites lacking any memory of his previous life, and now with near unlimited super-powers. But as always there is a catch, he only has one power at a time, and in order to change from one power to the next he has to die. Once dead the tektites resurrect him, this time with a power that is a direct response to his cause of death. He is in a simultaneous search for his identity and to escape those who experimented on him in the first place. It sounds a bit cheesy, but having a super-hero, who has no desire to be one, and who has to die, usually in a painful manner, in order to survive, can make for compelling storytelling on the screen.


THE SUICIDE SQUAD


The image is a bit more sexist, and pandering than I would have wanted, but I couldn't find a better one at the moment. Sorry. Anyway, this is a pretty simple concept. Take The Dirty Dozen and instead of convicted murders fighting Nazi's, it's imprisoned super villains sent on black ops missions for the government that they don't want the super heroes to get involved in (or know about it). They are mostly suicide type missions, and if any survive then they get extra consideration in their next parole hearing. It's simple, a great set up for lots of killer action sequences (as super villains are generally unstable people), great special effects, a built in fan base of comic fanboys, and could also be (in the right screenwriters hands) a great comment on the overabundance of comic book heroes and the conventions that they are forced to follow.

JAR OF FOOLS


No, this is not a super hero story. Comics don't have to have super heroes in them. In fact I'd say this is one of the best comic books I have ever read. Possibly one of the best works of fiction, period. The New York Book Review wrote that it's "A lovely, short picture novel exploring the tenacious bond between an alcoholic stage magician and his cranky mentor." There is a good deal more going on, but that is a good short summation. It's a story about love, about loss, about familial bonds, and aging. It would make a great film, in the vein of Ghost World or The History of Violence (in regards to non-super hero comic film adaptions).


HITMAN (no not the video game that was already made into a film)


I just realized a trend in my own choices, preferring anti-heroes over standard super hero fare, but still, these are good comics, so leave me alone.

Hitman is akin to Suicide Squad. Tommy Monaghan (pictured above) is a rough and tumble orphan from the poor Irish neighborhood of Gotham (which could easily be NYC) raised by a Hitman for the Irish mob. Said hitman retires and opens a small dive bar out of which Tommy now operates as a hitman in his own right. This being a super-hero comic book, Tommy is not without super-powers. He has x-ray vision, and is a mind reader. He isn't any ordinary Hitman, you only call him for the weird stuff. You need someone to steal a magic rifle forged in the old west to kill a devil, you call Tommy. Local super-hero beating up all your dealers, and selling the drugs himself, you call Tommy. I think you get the picture. He's a rogue, an imp, charming, and posses a devilish sense of humor. What's not to like?


And because I'm not as sexist as most comic books are themselves my final choice:
MAIL ORDER BRIDE


How is a comic called Mail Order Bride not a sexist choice, you may ask. At its heart it is a story about self discovery. I'm spacing on the characters names, but there are two main characters. The lead male role is a very geeky, very awkward, self-absorbed comic shop owner in a small town in western Canada (I think outside Vancouver, but I could just be making that up, could easily be outside Winnipeg which is not western Canada at all) who gets lonely and orders a bride from Korea. She comes over and isn't at all what he expected. Like most many western fetishes of Asia, he expects his bride to be a subservient, docile, and (in the general vein of most manga imported to this country) hyper-sexual Asian wife with a bad Asian accent. She arrives and turns out to be a very smart, shy, well educated Korean woman who signed up for the service because it was the only way she'd ever get out of Korea. The story is more about her and growth as an individual, taking classes at the local annex, making new friends, and coming out of her shell. He on other hand becomes more self-absorbed, needier, and more juvenile, getting more and more aggravated with her growth trying to keep her the pure fetishistic Asian bride he wants her to be. The comic ends on kinda a downer, and if adapted the ending would need to be changed a bit, but over all it's a very strong story of personal growth, female empowerment, loneliness, and cultural clash.


So that's my five comics that should be movies. The fact that they are all mildly obscure (Mail Order Bride being the most obscure) and that three are owned by DC comics, which itself is a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, means that if Warner doesn't think they'd make any money, no one else can do anything with them. The two indies (Jar of Fools, and Mail Order Bride) are two that if I ever get the money to option the rights myself I probably will, but I can't imagine anyone who isn't me going to a a development office and trying to pitch these comics for movies.

But it's fun to dream.