At some point in everyone's life, they come upon things that, no matter how they try to wrap their brain around them, they simply will not understand. It's not that these things are necessarily mind-bogglingly complex. They can be quite simple, on the surface. But for some reason, they just don't "click." There is a disconnect in there somewhere; if only you could find it and change it, everything would be better somehow. I guess that is our nature as humans, as we strive to make the world a better place for us. In order to achieve this lofty goal that we have set for ourselves, we need to first fix the little things in our life. But, what if it is one of those "little things" that has become an incomprehensible mess in your life. Something that, yesterday seemed so tiny and harmless, but now has become something more. Something that changes from day to day, almost hour to hour at times. First everything is fine and dandy, there's flowers and butterflies in the air. It looks like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. The next thing you know, the dark clouds have rolled in, the storms of emotion rage, and things can never be the same again. But, as sudden as they came, they roll out again.
The thing that I don't understand is not PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The thing that I don't understand is why everyone sees it but the person that needs to.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Stayin' Alive
Yep, I'm still here, alive and kicking. The job is going great. It was definitely a good move for me, not only professionally and financially, but emotionally, as well.
Now, I'm ot, nor will I ever be, a morning person, but it is nice to have that be the only obstical to getting up in the morning, as opposed to not wanting to go into work, as well.
I think that we are very close to being officially moved into our new house. We are having a housewarming party this Sunday, so that has been the motivation to finish up the nagging little things that are still left to unpack. By Saturday, everything will be in the place it will stay, for a while, at least. Oh, and we're never moving again...
Now, I'm ot, nor will I ever be, a morning person, but it is nice to have that be the only obstical to getting up in the morning, as opposed to not wanting to go into work, as well.
I think that we are very close to being officially moved into our new house. We are having a housewarming party this Sunday, so that has been the motivation to finish up the nagging little things that are still left to unpack. By Saturday, everything will be in the place it will stay, for a while, at least. Oh, and we're never moving again...
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
New job, Week 4
A quick report on my new job, going into week four. Man, it's different working here than it was working at Carlisle. Most of it is different in a good way.
It is so nice to have more than 2 people in the IT department. There are a lot of things that happen from day to day that I simply don't have to worry about on a daily basis, like the nightly backups, das blinken lights on the servers in the server room, etc. I can, for the most part, concentrate on projects that I need to get done without a ton of interruptions.
And, wouldn't you know it, I met up with another person today that works here that I knew from way back when I started at Carlisle. Weird how they seem to end up here... guess that's a good thing.
Back to projects.
It is so nice to have more than 2 people in the IT department. There are a lot of things that happen from day to day that I simply don't have to worry about on a daily basis, like the nightly backups, das blinken lights on the servers in the server room, etc. I can, for the most part, concentrate on projects that I need to get done without a ton of interruptions.
And, wouldn't you know it, I met up with another person today that works here that I knew from way back when I started at Carlisle. Weird how they seem to end up here... guess that's a good thing.
Back to projects.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
The Sad State of My Blog (An Apology)
Okay, so yes, my blog has languished in disuse for too long. Can we remedy this please?
Well, I've started a new job. Good-bye to S4 Carlisle Publishing Services, the company that gave me my first career opportunity. I was there for eleven years! That's longer than some people are at their first four jobs!
Hello to Woodward Communications, Inc. It is a much bigger company, with subsidiaries and everything. I'm still in IT, but it will be a markedly different experience here. I'm going from a department of 2 (me and my manager) to a department of 9. That, and I will be doing a lot of the support for our subsidiaries, so that means I'll be able to get out of the office from time to time. Something that I am looking forward quite a bit.
It's been a scary transition. I haven't started a new long-term employment in 11 years. This whole "first day on the job" thing is pretty freaky, but I'm getting over it. Day four, and I haven't blown anything up, and they haven't asked me to leave yet, so I must be doing something right :)
Well, my lunch hour is almost over, so I will sign out for now.
Well, I've started a new job. Good-bye to S4 Carlisle Publishing Services, the company that gave me my first career opportunity. I was there for eleven years! That's longer than some people are at their first four jobs!
Hello to Woodward Communications, Inc. It is a much bigger company, with subsidiaries and everything. I'm still in IT, but it will be a markedly different experience here. I'm going from a department of 2 (me and my manager) to a department of 9. That, and I will be doing a lot of the support for our subsidiaries, so that means I'll be able to get out of the office from time to time. Something that I am looking forward quite a bit.
It's been a scary transition. I haven't started a new long-term employment in 11 years. This whole "first day on the job" thing is pretty freaky, but I'm getting over it. Day four, and I haven't blown anything up, and they haven't asked me to leave yet, so I must be doing something right :)
Well, my lunch hour is almost over, so I will sign out for now.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Addicted to Video Games?
So, up until last week, I had been putting many, many hours into playing a video game. The game in question? Battlefield 2142. The exact stats? Total playing time of 3 days, 21 hours, and 50 minutes. And that was over the course of only a couple of months. Now, that may not seem like a lot of time, but when you consider that there towards the end I was spending between 2 and 5 hours with the game almost every night of the week, it gets pretty bad.
What exactly was the allure? Well, I think that part of it was the multiplayer aspect. The best computer AI can never replace the experience of playing with and against real, live, human counterparts. Everyone has quirks, makes mistakes, and has a certain unpredictability. Add to that the sense of camaraderie that comes from playing with others on teams, and it becomes a very addicting experience. Of course, the game itself is great. Excellent graphics, great sound, detailed environments, superb vehicles, it all adds up to one super gaming experience.
So, maybe when I can begin to balance my writing with my game playing, I'll pick up another copy of Battlefield 2142 and start playing again. That'll be quite the away bonus.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The Oscars
The Oscars have come and gone this year, and every year there is something that surprises or at the very least pleases me. This year, while I wasn't particularly shocked with any of the awards, I was pleasantly surprised with a couple. In the Short Feature category, I was pleasantly surprised to see "West Bank Story" win. For those that haven't seen this short, I implore you to go check it out on iTunes. If you have ever seen "West Side Story", you will enjoy this short. And the director's message of peace is not only applicable to the situation in the middle east, but to the world in general.
I was also pleasantly surprised with the tribute and lifetime achievement award for Ennio Morricone. This composer got his start composing music for the old Italian westerns, also known as "spaghetti westerns", like "A Fist Full of Dollars". In fact, this famous score was Ennio's first. In all, the composer has created over 400 film scores, but has never won an Academy Award. I was glad that he was allowed to express himself in his native Italian during his acceptance speech, and it was nice to see Clint Eastwood translating. I am not a big fan of Celine Dion, but I really was impressed with her performance of the new song that Ennio had composed. Very well done.
I was also pleasantly surprised with the tribute and lifetime achievement award for Ennio Morricone. This composer got his start composing music for the old Italian westerns, also known as "spaghetti westerns", like "A Fist Full of Dollars". In fact, this famous score was Ennio's first. In all, the composer has created over 400 film scores, but has never won an Academy Award. I was glad that he was allowed to express himself in his native Italian during his acceptance speech, and it was nice to see Clint Eastwood translating. I am not a big fan of Celine Dion, but I really was impressed with her performance of the new song that Ennio had composed. Very well done.
Monday, February 19, 2007
"Man of the Year" Review
Robin Williams' election-time movie is coming out on DVD tomorrow, so I thought that this was a good point to post my review of the movie. This movie appeared, in a slightly edited form, in my local newspaper, The Telegraph-Herald.
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It would be easy to use clichés like “ripped from the headlines” and “art imitates life” to describe “Man of the Year.” Tom Dobbs, a political satirist in the vein of Jon Stewart or Bill Maher, points out nightly the foibles of our democracy to much comic effect. During a Q&A session before one of his shows, an audience member suggests that Dobbs should run for president. Initially dismissing the notion, Dobbs comes to believe that this could be the best way to give the democratic process a kick in the seat. He announces his candidacy for the presidency, and the campaign tour begins.
Meanwhile in Silicon Valley, Delacroy Systems has been awarded a government contract to deploy a high-tech computerized voting system. But, unbeknownst to the world, there is a glitch in the system. A glitch that programmer Eleanor Green has discovered. Being the diligent employee that she is, she emails the CEO of the company, Mathias Hemmings, and tells him about the implications of this glitch. But with the election looming so close, Hemmings has no intention of jeopardizing the bottom line by addressing this minor problem. The decision is made; "the perception of legitimacy is more important than legitimacy itself." When the election night results start to mimic the glitch, Eleanor has to make a decision that will not only affect her, but an entire nation.
Barry Levinson and Robin Williams return to the roots of their first collaboration nearly twenty years ago, the critically-acclaimed “Good Morning, Vietnam,” with “Man of the Year.” Williams’ performance as Armed Forces Radio DJ Adrian Cronauer, which earned him a Golden Globe award as well as Oscar and BAFTA nominations, proved to the world that not only was he a funny guy, but he could do serious, as well. Just as in “Vietnam”, Levinson manages to mix Williams’ trademark stream-of consciousness comedy wit with the seriousness of a political drama. Williams is able to take hold of scenes like the political debate between Dobbs, Senator Mills, played by Canadian-born David Ferry, and incumbent President Kellog, portrayed by David Nichols, and turns them into frenetic showpieces that are part comic routine, part political diatribe.
Behind the scenes of Dobbs’ political campaign are Jack Menken, his manager, played by Christopher Walken, and Eddie Langston, Dobb’s head writer, played by Lewis Black. Black, whose day-job as political commentator for Comedy Central mimics the movie, seems to be right at home here. And Walken’s seasoned manager Langston helps to show the thin line between entertainment and reality, as he quips that he's going to be the first manager of the President of the United States to an interviewer.
But anyone looking for a comic satire will find more than they expected with “Man of the Year”. I will not condemn a movie for the marketing decisions that the studio makes, but I think that Universal is doing a disservice not only to the viewers, but to the vision of the filmmakers by selling this as a comedy. Like Levinson’s “Vietnam,” the third act of the movie takes on a very serious tone. Dobbs’ wrestling with his moral decision to take the presidency is played along side Hemmings’ malicious attempts to find and silence Laura Linney’s socially challenged programmer Eleanor Green. While the suspense at times feels a bit out-of-place in the first two acts of the movie, I found myself drawn into it by the third act. Jeff Goldblum is wonderfully creepy as Delacroy’s corporate lawyer Alan Stewart. While his black-and-white loyalties may be a bit of a slap in the face to the viewer, it’s oddly comforting to know that there are no ambiguities about his, or Hemmings’, motives.
Levinson’s film style moves from pseudo-documentary to standard drama so fluidly that you will probably never know the difference. The points at which he chooses to make these switches are well timed, and fit each situation. There is nothing jarring about the stylistic differences, and it helps to support the legitimacy of what’s happening on-screen.
The relationship that eventually develops between Dobbs and Green at first seems forced, and out-of-the-blue. What in the beginning seems like a nice person just being a nice person is soon replaced with almost blind devotion, as Dobbs chooses to believe what Green is telling him, even in the face of almost overwhelming evidence to the contrary. But, upon further reflection, it is a credit to the character of Tom Dobbs, as it becomes clear that he has a true gift for sorting the rhetorical chaff from the wheat, so to speak. And while their relationship still seems a bit forced, it helps to create a satisfying payoff at the end of the movie.
With lines like “the free world will now be led by a comedian,” “Man of the Year” is a movie that comes at the right time, with the right message. That message is clear: if you want something changed, change it. And don’t ever settle for less than what you truly believe in.
It would be easy to use clichés like “ripped from the headlines” and “art imitates life” to describe “Man of the Year.” Tom Dobbs, a political satirist in the vein of Jon Stewart or Bill Maher, points out nightly the foibles of our democracy to much comic effect. During a Q&A session before one of his shows, an audience member suggests that Dobbs should run for president. Initially dismissing the notion, Dobbs comes to believe that this could be the best way to give the democratic process a kick in the seat. He announces his candidacy for the presidency, and the campaign tour begins.
Meanwhile in Silicon Valley, Delacroy Systems has been awarded a government contract to deploy a high-tech computerized voting system. But, unbeknownst to the world, there is a glitch in the system. A glitch that programmer Eleanor Green has discovered. Being the diligent employee that she is, she emails the CEO of the company, Mathias Hemmings, and tells him about the implications of this glitch. But with the election looming so close, Hemmings has no intention of jeopardizing the bottom line by addressing this minor problem. The decision is made; "the perception of legitimacy is more important than legitimacy itself." When the election night results start to mimic the glitch, Eleanor has to make a decision that will not only affect her, but an entire nation.
Barry Levinson and Robin Williams return to the roots of their first collaboration nearly twenty years ago, the critically-acclaimed “Good Morning, Vietnam,” with “Man of the Year.” Williams’ performance as Armed Forces Radio DJ Adrian Cronauer, which earned him a Golden Globe award as well as Oscar and BAFTA nominations, proved to the world that not only was he a funny guy, but he could do serious, as well. Just as in “Vietnam”, Levinson manages to mix Williams’ trademark stream-of consciousness comedy wit with the seriousness of a political drama. Williams is able to take hold of scenes like the political debate between Dobbs, Senator Mills, played by Canadian-born David Ferry, and incumbent President Kellog, portrayed by David Nichols, and turns them into frenetic showpieces that are part comic routine, part political diatribe.
Behind the scenes of Dobbs’ political campaign are Jack Menken, his manager, played by Christopher Walken, and Eddie Langston, Dobb’s head writer, played by Lewis Black. Black, whose day-job as political commentator for Comedy Central mimics the movie, seems to be right at home here. And Walken’s seasoned manager Langston helps to show the thin line between entertainment and reality, as he quips that he's going to be the first manager of the President of the United States to an interviewer.
But anyone looking for a comic satire will find more than they expected with “Man of the Year”. I will not condemn a movie for the marketing decisions that the studio makes, but I think that Universal is doing a disservice not only to the viewers, but to the vision of the filmmakers by selling this as a comedy. Like Levinson’s “Vietnam,” the third act of the movie takes on a very serious tone. Dobbs’ wrestling with his moral decision to take the presidency is played along side Hemmings’ malicious attempts to find and silence Laura Linney’s socially challenged programmer Eleanor Green. While the suspense at times feels a bit out-of-place in the first two acts of the movie, I found myself drawn into it by the third act. Jeff Goldblum is wonderfully creepy as Delacroy’s corporate lawyer Alan Stewart. While his black-and-white loyalties may be a bit of a slap in the face to the viewer, it’s oddly comforting to know that there are no ambiguities about his, or Hemmings’, motives.
Levinson’s film style moves from pseudo-documentary to standard drama so fluidly that you will probably never know the difference. The points at which he chooses to make these switches are well timed, and fit each situation. There is nothing jarring about the stylistic differences, and it helps to support the legitimacy of what’s happening on-screen.
The relationship that eventually develops between Dobbs and Green at first seems forced, and out-of-the-blue. What in the beginning seems like a nice person just being a nice person is soon replaced with almost blind devotion, as Dobbs chooses to believe what Green is telling him, even in the face of almost overwhelming evidence to the contrary. But, upon further reflection, it is a credit to the character of Tom Dobbs, as it becomes clear that he has a true gift for sorting the rhetorical chaff from the wheat, so to speak. And while their relationship still seems a bit forced, it helps to create a satisfying payoff at the end of the movie.
With lines like “the free world will now be led by a comedian,” “Man of the Year” is a movie that comes at the right time, with the right message. That message is clear: if you want something changed, change it. And don’t ever settle for less than what you truly believe in.
Hello, world!
Okay, so call me late to the party. I've tried to keep blogs on multiple sites, like MySpace and the website the I write for, Inside Mac Games, but it's no fun trying to keep them all up-to-date, and I usually end up just not posting anything.
So, as of today, this is my blog. All of my thoughts (however mundane, useless, or otherwise) will be posted here, and only here. So, come back and visit for a while, and take in an entry from Pixelback Writer's Guide to the Galaxy!
So, as of today, this is my blog. All of my thoughts (however mundane, useless, or otherwise) will be posted here, and only here. So, come back and visit for a while, and take in an entry from Pixelback Writer's Guide to the Galaxy!
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