Am I like the only person in the country who didn't like the movie, "Inception?" I thought it was boring. I won't got into a full-blown review of it again, but c'mon -- the drama wasn't dramatic, the action scenes were boring, the dream sequences weren't nearly "dreamy" enough, and the big ending to it had me thinking "Who cares?" Seriously, it's like an action movie for people who don't like action movies, a drama for people who don't understand drama, science fiction for people who don't read science fiction, a caper movie for people who don't watch caper movies, blah blah blah. The most interesting facet of the movie was largely downplayed (the character of Leo DiCaprio's wife, who is basically a ghost in his dreams, thanks to his monkeying around with her mind using his dream-weaver powers). Instead of making that the core of the story, they spackled on about four layers of "Who Gives a Fuck" around it. "The Matrix" handled action sequences and even layered perceptions of reality far better than "Inception." But people mistook a complicated plot with a complex one, and they're not entirely the same. Anyway, it did well, and people seem to like it -- like everybody I know who's seen it, but I just didn't like it.
I like action movies, but they should have compelling action. I like dramas, but they should have compelling drama. I like science fiction, but it should have the depth of the genre behind it. Caper movies should propel you through them. "Inception" dips its toes lightly in those three pools, and we're supposed to find it immersive. I remember being bored very early in the movie -- and those fucking dream sequences, interminable things (nobody but nobody has dreams as lame as the dreams in "Inception" -- and if you do dream like that, you have my sympathy).
Anyway, I don't know how it managed to strike a resonant chord with so many people, and leave me just bored. I'm out of step with the world, clearly.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Time Passages
Until I say otherwise, just assume that I'm editing the book I've mentioned before, since that's what I'm doing, and it's just boring to mention that -- it's why I pursue a general policy of writing more and talking about writing less.
I saw a total hipster clerk at a local liquor store. He had it going on in spades -- the carefully upswept hair (not full-on hipster bedhead jackassery, but definitely carefully rendered, squintingly similar to what I just linked to), a tweed jacket, carefully rolled jeans. Oh, my. I was too amused at the overall effect to take in the remaining details, but it was something special.
I saw a total hipster clerk at a local liquor store. He had it going on in spades -- the carefully upswept hair (not full-on hipster bedhead jackassery, but definitely carefully rendered, squintingly similar to what I just linked to), a tweed jacket, carefully rolled jeans. Oh, my. I was too amused at the overall effect to take in the remaining details, but it was something special.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Weather or not
We got a fairly righteous snowfall the other day, I think getting the back end of the nor'easter that was slamming the East Coast. It looked pretty. Maybe four inches of snow, give or take. Almost tempted me to take out the toboggan and have the boys sit in the back while I sledded them to school. Almost, but not quite.
Still working on the edits for this latest book; I really want to get it done by the weekend, get it all finalized so I can sling it out next week. We'll see. It's so damned big, it's taking time to ensure continuity and what-not.
I'm totally not watching television these days -- aside from kids' shows, I just don't watch anything. There's just nothing compelling for me, show-wise. That's good, though -- the less television, the better, in my view. Especially since I don't have premium cable, so I only get junk stuff, anyway.
Hard to believe I'll be 41 in a few months. What the hell? Hard to believe that B1 will be 10 next year. That kind of floors me, too. He's so tall, such a big boy, and has the kindest, sweetest heart of anyone I know. But I laugh, too, because he has a bit of the Dwarvish mafioso in him, too, sometimes. He'll warn his little brother "I'm holding back, but if you keep pushing me, I'm going go push YOU." B2 is so much of a rough-and-tumble lil' scrapper, even though he's dwarfed by his big brother, it doesn't deter him -- he'll divebomb him any chance he gets. B2 loves his big brother, but he also loves taking the piss. He just loves it.
It makes me laugh -- both boys have different aspects of my sense of humor, and B2 has that innate piss-taking sensibility I have. Who'd have known that this could be a heritable trait? Being a smartass? Amazing. B1 has my warmth of spirit, but it's in a latticework of a fundamental sense of How Things Should be -- he has an orderly mind and outlook. He is truly decent and good, but I'm pleased at his stubbornness, too -- it provides that sweet soul some much-needed armor for the world. When we go to school, I see him kind of go inside that armor -- when other kids are busy chasing each other and playing, B1 stands in line, waiting to be let in, lost in his own thoughts.
He's not introverted per se -- he's outgoing and affable, but there is a definite inner life to him that comes into play in some situations. Any time we go to his school, that distance comes up, and he's in School Mode, gearing up. It makes me ache a little to watch him. Everybody has their own survival strategies for school -- for me, it was that smart mouth, my sarcasm, my sense of humor, and later, my size. B1 is already taller than nearly all the kids in his grade, so he has that going for him.
I'd love to know what he's thinking when he's in line, in his own thoughts like that. I'm tempted to ask him, see what he says.
Still working on the edits for this latest book; I really want to get it done by the weekend, get it all finalized so I can sling it out next week. We'll see. It's so damned big, it's taking time to ensure continuity and what-not.
I'm totally not watching television these days -- aside from kids' shows, I just don't watch anything. There's just nothing compelling for me, show-wise. That's good, though -- the less television, the better, in my view. Especially since I don't have premium cable, so I only get junk stuff, anyway.
Hard to believe I'll be 41 in a few months. What the hell? Hard to believe that B1 will be 10 next year. That kind of floors me, too. He's so tall, such a big boy, and has the kindest, sweetest heart of anyone I know. But I laugh, too, because he has a bit of the Dwarvish mafioso in him, too, sometimes. He'll warn his little brother "I'm holding back, but if you keep pushing me, I'm going go push YOU." B2 is so much of a rough-and-tumble lil' scrapper, even though he's dwarfed by his big brother, it doesn't deter him -- he'll divebomb him any chance he gets. B2 loves his big brother, but he also loves taking the piss. He just loves it.
It makes me laugh -- both boys have different aspects of my sense of humor, and B2 has that innate piss-taking sensibility I have. Who'd have known that this could be a heritable trait? Being a smartass? Amazing. B1 has my warmth of spirit, but it's in a latticework of a fundamental sense of How Things Should be -- he has an orderly mind and outlook. He is truly decent and good, but I'm pleased at his stubbornness, too -- it provides that sweet soul some much-needed armor for the world. When we go to school, I see him kind of go inside that armor -- when other kids are busy chasing each other and playing, B1 stands in line, waiting to be let in, lost in his own thoughts.
He's not introverted per se -- he's outgoing and affable, but there is a definite inner life to him that comes into play in some situations. Any time we go to his school, that distance comes up, and he's in School Mode, gearing up. It makes me ache a little to watch him. Everybody has their own survival strategies for school -- for me, it was that smart mouth, my sarcasm, my sense of humor, and later, my size. B1 is already taller than nearly all the kids in his grade, so he has that going for him.
I'd love to know what he's thinking when he's in line, in his own thoughts like that. I'm tempted to ask him, see what he says.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Shew
After working most of yesterday on it, I pared the book down to >188,000 words. I think when it's properly finished, it'll actually be closer to 200,000 words. I'm trying to get that done by the end of the week, think I should be able to do that.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Working
Editing the fuck out of the epic. I have trimmed it from over 500,000 words to over 350,000 words, now. That's a lot of work! Getting it all sparkly for slinging out to publishers. Big-ass book.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Postal
Is the US Postal Service (USPS) getting less reliable or what? Or does Chicago just have exceptionally bad service? I mean, I've known that Chicago's had a crappy system, but lately, it seems to be getting crappier, especially in terms of lost bills and so forth. It's getting ridiculous, is making me think I need to just have everything be paid online. I just hate that I can't rely on something that should, in theory, be both straightforward and reliable. WTF? It's just incredibly frustrating, because I'm doing my part, getting things mailed out in time, but they're not getting to their destinations, and then I'm the one left holding the bag, despite it being the USPS that boned things up.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tallies
So, looks like I stubbed my toes 89 times last year (counting from March to end of the year): 55 left toe stubs, 34 right toe stubs.
Battle not with editors...
...lest you become one...
Seriously, this is why all editors go insane, eventually.
Seriously, this is why all editors go insane, eventually.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
WTF?
Okay, if I know you, and you own these, please tell me, so that I can not be friends with you anymore. These just may be the lamest shoes, ever...
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Hipster Holidays
I'm not the only one irritated by the "Hipster Christmas" Hyundai ads...
Pomplamoose Pimps Hyundais
I would like to bludgeon the twee mofo in this with those jingle bells he's brandishing. Kinda like this...
*JING* SMASH *JING* SMASH *JING* SMASH
And then put'em in the trunk of a Hyundai and drive it off a bridge.
"HO HO HO!"
Pomplamoose Pimps Hyundais
I would like to bludgeon the twee mofo in this with those jingle bells he's brandishing. Kinda like this...
*JING* SMASH *JING* SMASH *JING* SMASH
And then put'em in the trunk of a Hyundai and drive it off a bridge.
"HO HO HO!"
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011
Well, hello, there, 2011. Funny to hear the wind howling outside this morning -- it was 54 degrees yesterday, and today's high is 27 degrees. Out with the old, in with the new.
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