tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90774996756497618682024-03-13T12:24:32.864-04:00From the Desk of GarrettThe random musings of a guy with too much time on his hands. Mostly waxing nostalgia but sometimes I might speak on something deeper.Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-14817679066819185242016-03-12T04:43:00.000-05:002016-03-12T04:43:01.652-05:00"Nighthawks" As I See It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJNXvZPL-Kw2usQW2SqWqmWGr7nXgo3PamfRCt5FxTvdCOV_8i6rUKPMy001E3UlLnRMVgJYSanTAosmcVMhi1QNX8gUstqtk7UvcK_7DxHGWHqZiBjMzWYLbEBt5djzmbQwbh7F5rBc4/s1600/Nighthawks_by_Edward_Hopper_1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJNXvZPL-Kw2usQW2SqWqmWGr7nXgo3PamfRCt5FxTvdCOV_8i6rUKPMy001E3UlLnRMVgJYSanTAosmcVMhi1QNX8gUstqtk7UvcK_7DxHGWHqZiBjMzWYLbEBt5djzmbQwbh7F5rBc4/s640/Nighthawks_by_Edward_Hopper_1942.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is <i>Nighthawks</i> by Edward Hopper. Its easily one of the most recognized American works of art from the last century. Hopper, who had simple works dating back to 1906-07, has less than 10 released works of art on display. <i>Nighthawks</i> currently resides at The Art Institute of Chicago and was sold to be displayed there in 1942, the same year the painting was completed, for only $3000.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nighthawks#Ownership_history" target="_blank">1</a> Its recognizable for how serene it is, the simplistic nature of the colors, the timeless surrounding of the buildings and the fact that people will always be there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It shows four people: three men and one woman, at a late night diner in, what Edward Hopper called, "a restaurant on New York’s Greenwich Avenue where two streets meet."<a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/111628" target="_blank">2</a> They are nameless. The man and woman may not be married, they may be strangers. The lone man to the left might be an insurance salesman. The soda jerk (if you view a larger image) looks to be just as old as the man and woman. They're not the whole story of the painting. The moment is the story.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The simplicity of the moment: no cars, no entrance to the diner, no neon signs, no one outside hurrying along the sidewalk makes it a serene scene that we can relate to: when all the noise dies down we are left alone with our thoughts, or in the case of the man and woman, someone close. If the diner had existed, it would be a popular tourist attraction. There would be little peace in all the posing and camera works. It would have been diluted among the (I hate to use this word) ignorance of today.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34QH9b7oTSqj2aEljr9VJwQau1jxpxM4D8v6mpUibIYD3-ZU_VBo1_6FMk0Q8P_jYMnl_eeEe09KDv5Z_WKk1t3jVgX9P6D3NS-RQrzI6FeN_rdduZUdtq9NCI1O7a0RfNfjixWyakldI/s1600/sdfub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34QH9b7oTSqj2aEljr9VJwQau1jxpxM4D8v6mpUibIYD3-ZU_VBo1_6FMk0Q8P_jYMnl_eeEe09KDv5Z_WKk1t3jVgX9P6D3NS-RQrzI6FeN_rdduZUdtq9NCI1O7a0RfNfjixWyakldI/s640/sdfub.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And yet its not without homage and parody. The timelessness has caused it to be crossed with one form of entertainment after another: parodies from <i>That 70s Show,</i> <i>The Simpsons</i>, and of course the many unofficial fan-made digital manipulations all stem from the timelessness of it. The buildings will last, the people will come and go, the sun will rise and people will begin to stir, but eventually it will come back to this calm moment in time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite all that blathering, what <i>Nighthawks</i> means to me is this: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-fcyV_pT5uTEqijgfT_1e7vEAg74AQykvkUSKkoJ7_kLhIlkD1SBY6l_seTODsoCwfPr05K1w8Fr4WXu5WpMtIE_d17VS2v56RI3lEBHI1wP-OuejHSh35TtiguRCQv8ii1qIf9LWpi7/s1600/319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-fcyV_pT5uTEqijgfT_1e7vEAg74AQykvkUSKkoJ7_kLhIlkD1SBY6l_seTODsoCwfPr05K1w8Fr4WXu5WpMtIE_d17VS2v56RI3lEBHI1wP-OuejHSh35TtiguRCQv8ii1qIf9LWpi7/s1600/319.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love this painting because I'm all too familiar with a real life form of it: in the last 10 years I've maybe fallen asleep before midnight less than 50 times, even on nights when I had to work the next morning. A late night of sitting in the glow of a TV or computer screen working on a review or mostly playing video games. A fast food job where the outside world was dark, slow, and only busy on weekends. A night spent talking with friends until the sun came up. Eating a late dinner with family at a restaurant. Its these calm moments I treasure amid the chaos of the day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even as I look at it, I know someone else out there can see it, relate to it, and appreciate it in ways that I don't even comprehend. But I'm not an art major, so I have no idea what I'm talking about. We all need to appreciate at least one work of art in our lives, and this is mine.</span></span></div>
Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-16749580201378444712015-09-11T05:21:00.000-04:002015-09-11T05:21:06.069-04:0014 years ago....<div style="text-align: justify;">
And a little bit more....</div>
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In 1999, when the craze behind Y2K was just beginning, things were awesome, man.</div>
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We had an abundance of talented musical artists. We had news anchors we could trust. We had new and aspiring companies to believe in. CGI movies were taking us places we'd never been before. For those who had the internet, they could find a site and a community to belong to.</div>
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The idea of a new millennium was coming and we were all full of hope. A shining future where the only major arguments were about who was better: Backstreet Boys or N*Sync? It was going to be as bright as the music videos and flashy as the clothes the California cool kids were wearing.</div>
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Then 2000 came. The Y2K bug was nothing more than a few glitched computers that were quickly updated. The supermarket tabloids that claimed the end of the world was coming suddenly had to backtrack (and now those same tabloids are nothing more than celebrity lies and rumors). People's major complaints were about President Bush, Firestone tires exploding, and who Jennifer Lopez was dating that month. It carried on for a long while and things seemed to be okay. These phases were going to pass just like all the others.</div>
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Then it happened. September 11, 2001.</div>
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I was in my 2nd or 3rd period class, auto tech, when rumors were going around so much so that my teacher had the TV on so we could see the news. </div>
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I saw the second plane hit.</div>
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I saw both towers fall.</div>
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Not the replays. In real time. I can't get them out of my head.</div>
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I remember the principal asking us to remain in our classrooms.</div>
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I remember him making an announcement later that day but I don't remember what was said. </div>
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I remember thinking "this is the end of our shiny new future."</div>
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We tried to continue on with life as normal. School wasn't canceled for us but a lot less students showed up the next day. A few months later we had a new student arrive. A kid from New York. He said his school was close enough on the mainland that he could see the smoke rising in the sky.</div>
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It taught us Americans the importance of togetherness, not just with each other but with the people of the world. We came together to help each other, to get through a terrible tragedy, a black mark on the calendars of history. I can only imagine that after this next generation of kids is gone they won't believe the stories we tell them, much like it was for those who fought in the Gulf Wars, Vietnam, World War II, etc. Stories that fade because of a lack of interest and attention. </div>
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When people say that only 90s kids remember the 90s, I think that's true. But I think we remember being full of hope. The future was ours and we had limitless potential. We could grab life by the balls and be who we wanted to be.</div>
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9/11 only brought us closer together as a nation for a little while, but
now we've forgotten how to love. People want to blame others for their
own harshness without taking responsibility for their own actions. People are looking to be offended. They're looking for someone to hate.</div>
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I go through each day feeling as though I'm being judged by everyone who walks by simply because I exist. I feel like I'm being told that I have to be a certain someone. I keep wondering if the next customer I encounter and make angry over the price of food will unleash a gun and end me because they forgot to take their meds that day.</div>
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I can't claim to be a Christian anymore because it will offend someone. I'm not allowed to mention my faith anymore or tell someone to have a blessed day because I'll be fired and wind up on the chopping block because someone think I shouldn't have any faith at all.</div>
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I can't hold an intelligent conversation with an 18-year old co-worker because they're either too hyper, too cynical, or they think they already know everything. We live in the era of smart phones and stupid people. I also can't hold a conversation with the old co-workers either because they treat me as though I know nothing. </div>
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The world has changed and it hasn't been for the better. It makes my head spin, my heart hurt, and my soul feel burdened. The bright shining future that the 90s whispered in our ears has been gagged by people who think the 90s were lying, only to whisper other lies in our ears. I can't describe it in a more poetic way because I'm being told not to talk about it by the same people. It could be a trigger for some and I have to be sensitive to everyone else.</div>
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I'm kind to people. I asked a man with a flat tire earlier today if I could help him. He needed a jack and the one in my car wasn't big enough. I bought a customer's groceries when her food stamp card was being declined. People give me tips and I use that money to help people when they're short on change. I stayed 45 minutes after I was supposed to clock out to help a blind customer around the store. </div>
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Admittedly these are only things that have happened at my job but if they can make someone's day or life a little easier, why can't we all do that? Why do we have to listen to these people that say we should voice our discontent if we feel the slightest bit awkward? Why do we have to believe doctors who say one thing when 15 years ago other doctors were saying the complete opposite? Why are we being told by a few people that we should fear the police and hate our soldiers?</div>
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I wrote, cut, pasted, and saved away a whole paragraph I was going to write but the topic isn't appropriate to what I'm saying here. If this new world beyond 9/11 and the new millennium want us to be harsh because they say we have to be, then I say no.</div>
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Be kind.</div>
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Regardless of your religion or beliefs, if you can help out a fellow human, do it.</div>
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Don't let people tell you that being kind is wrong.</div>
Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-36889479529400999842015-09-04T20:44:00.002-04:002015-09-04T20:44:16.265-04:00Movie review: CHAPPiE<div style="text-align: justify;">
I recently had the chance to rent this from RedBox, and unfortunately it was a waste of time and money. I wrote this review first over at Favslist and decided I might as well post it here because this blog has been left to the dust. Btw, spoilers ahead.</div>
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As for my other blog, I've ended it. I may write a book, album, or movie review here but I don't have any plans to put a lot of effort into this blog. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxS10UW_-OICAe_2qQ6fEQgipOdC73XeM1yJmh9QgG2fR6eMSbLw3YAA8dka_hQf5QazX04O6kDgHA83XdtF75qR0NWjg3IC1ZbASWydbb9gCimESEI92hfECUk7wxacvIFRDMhUoNt3gP/s1600/crappie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxS10UW_-OICAe_2qQ6fEQgipOdC73XeM1yJmh9QgG2fR6eMSbLw3YAA8dka_hQf5QazX04O6kDgHA83XdtF75qR0NWjg3IC1ZbASWydbb9gCimESEI92hfECUk7wxacvIFRDMhUoNt3gP/s400/crappie.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>
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Blomkamp seems really hellbent on letting the world know that Johannesburg, South Africa, is one of the worst places to live. Not only was it mentioned as a bad place in District 9, here he goes so far as to say that not even the police can handle being there and they need robots to fight crime for them. When watching it you first get a sense of it being like Short Circuit, a robot gaining self-awareness and this is his journey. Nope. More than halfway through you get another sense of this being about self-preservation, "what is a robot to do when faced with its own mortality?" Nope. And then by the third act its an action movie and you're so damn tired of Die Antwoord's horrible acting you may just cheer when they finally bite the dust. The ending is the ultimate letdown when you realize that its recycled from District 9.<br />Chappie doesn't grow as a character because he's not allowed to grow, Blomkamp as the writer didn't want him to grow, his potentials for learning and comprehension are only mentioned in passing. He's not allowed to think for himself even after gaining access to the internet, which could open up several thousand new cans of worms. He learns, for sure, but its about how to be angry. Any attempt on playing on the emotions of the audience are interrupted when Ninja opens his mouth (you may need to watch this one with subtitles just to understand him) and spouts about how he wants a murdering robot. Whereas Ex Machina was about a robot wanting to be human, Chappie is only given the opportunity to ask about his existence only to have it shrugged off. He's just a robot and the film does everything in its power to remind you that that is all he will ever be.<br />The action sequences are one of the few cinematic saving graces with great direction, clear visuals, and nice CGI. The designs of Chappie and the Moose are decent but awfully barebones in detail. There's not much science in describing how they work. Most of the movie seems to take place in Die Antwoord's hideout and almost feels like the office scene was rented for three days so they had to shoot quickly. That's enough of that, back to the abandoned factory!<br />During the last action sequence, when the gang's third wheel gunman meets his demise at the hands of the Moose, you don't feel for his character AT ALL. At one point he mentions "I can go back home now!" He means to Mexico. Does he have a wife and kids? Did he get mixed up in all this and get deported? Oh I'm sorry now he's a splatter on the wall. Thanks for watching. Die Antwoord's reason for being criminals, "because we're bad guys, and bad guys are criminals, and criminals steal stuff." A background motive would have been greatly appreciated. What's even worse than Die Antwoord being criminals is that they owe money to someone else who is an even worse character. "I want everything" is his motive and you feel no justice when he meets the business end of a shovel. Yes, a shovel. A nice analogy that even though this movie is about high concept technology its very savage and simple in its execution.<br />Like an unknown boy band playing a state fair in the late 90s, Chappie has the potential to make you take notice of what its doing but its ultimately ignored in favor of others that have gone before and have done so much better. Chappie is Crappie.</div>
Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-51554863429589133532014-02-09T08:45:00.000-05:002014-02-09T05:45:20.234-05:00Wonder Momo: A small serving of NOPE.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wonder Momo is so incompetent that the first episode, which was released only a couple days prior to writing this, actually hurts to watch. Uninspired art, phoned-in voice acting, and terrible story pacing all culminate in quite possibly one of the worst animation shorts that have come from Japan in a while.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Anime this day and age has something good to offer in terms of art and design, its practically its own genre because of this thought. Whether it be a new direction or a classic re-imagined, anime can be amazing to see. Wonder Momo is instead colorful but flat with no lighting effects, no animation tricks, and no real detail. It can be likened to watching something in SD on an HD TV: you're not going to see a whole lot.<br />It appears that the voice actors weren't given a chance to practice their lines, or were even given a general direction, so they did it all in one take to rush the series out, because that's what the upper management wanted. <br />Speaking of rushed, the story is so rushed that you'll never see it coming. It just happens. No time or chance to explain what's going on. Get in loser, we're going to fight aliens! At one point, Momo says "So like, is this where I transform into a superhero?" and that activates her powers. I facepalmed so hard I think I left my face red. There are other characters but you may not want to stick around to get to know them since they are of no consequence to anything that happens. The cast is unnoticeable; character designs that we've seen before so in this case you may not want to bother to try and remember any names. Wonder Momo has no redeeming qualities as a character: she's not overly polite, she's not the most good-looking, she's not the smartest student. What we learn about her is that she's a high school student and a popular idol, and now she has super powers. That's it.<br /><br />The length is only a little over 7 minutes so I get that there's not much time to flesh anything out and that's where this entire disaster <i>fails</i>. Rather than making it an honest anime at a normal length of time, its just a cartoon that would be shown during a Saturday morning kids program. If that's what they were going for, then that's fine. But the huge press event that was held says otherwise.<br /><br />I understand that being based off of a 1980s arcade game and a webcomic doesn't give the creators much to go on but its apparent that a lack of imagination and corporate greed is to blame. If its an attempt to cash in on nostalgia, well maybe there's a reason the game wasn't so hugely popular: it sucked. If you're going to create a female heroine, you have to CREATE one. Not draw one and say she has powers. Wonder Momo is the worst thing I have seen in regards to anime, and I don't say that lightly. I'll be using this show as an example of the lowest point you can go in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I almost posted a tweet that was so horrendous that anyone with a vagina would have wanted to have me quartered and splayed. It was that bad. I second guessed myself and I'm glad I did. All because the character of Wonder Momo is so infuriating. If this anime becomes popular then the last approximately 12 years of advancements that female characters have made in the genre will be undone.</span></div>
Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-33662919633682123222013-09-08T03:47:00.003-04:002013-09-22T13:01:34.605-04:00Book Review: The Truth about Celia Frost (spoilers)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AygP-SY8sd6W_8tmyZ2Lu0-NeSk5PupkwQduAefiTw9syLNULv5lTcxjZqdPf9qCj24gZvFZw0LR_sT_6KcfHQrkYIaqoKYSmByZjJRo5JvcBnL0ZrnruEo9GRbTRGhOb4JEIfUZnzcX/s1600/CeliaFrostCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AygP-SY8sd6W_8tmyZ2Lu0-NeSk5PupkwQduAefiTw9syLNULv5lTcxjZqdPf9qCj24gZvFZw0LR_sT_6KcfHQrkYIaqoKYSmByZjJRo5JvcBnL0ZrnruEo9GRbTRGhOb4JEIfUZnzcX/s400/CeliaFrostCover.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I find it confusing and frustrating that I would consider myself polarized by this story. On one hand I like the whole "one girl in all the world" idea that it turns into, on the other I just don't like the laziness that happens throughout most of it.<br />There's a background problem. Celia ignores it in favor of having fun with a new friend. She gets in trouble and the resolution happens very quickly.<br />Its so focused on the here and now that it forgets to TRY and have a big build up for the big reveal. From reading it you gather that Janice, her mother, and Celia are on the run from someone because Celia has a blood problem, and that's about it. It reveals all of the past in one chapter and honestly I was left disappointed and shaking my head at how much it didn't even TRY to amaze me. Celia is never positioned as the underdog and there's never much of a struggle or a major conflict. She goes about most of the book feeling oppressed by her mom but still gets her way. She does grow as a character and she becomes more bold but it never gives her a chance to grow up, to become more mature about her situation and reality. If I can explain that a little more, she learns to swim and for that she grows as a character, but its never presented that she has to learn what the panic of drowning feels like.<br /><br />In that sense the characters are dry and stuck in their habits. Celia is just wanting her freedom and does some pretty stupid things; I gather this is from her not knowing much about how the world works and it never presents more opportunities for her to learn. Janice is an alcoholic that can never come to terms with Celia wanting freedom; in the worst moment of the book she decides to drink rather than acting like a real mother. Sol is a sidekick to Celia and, being shown as a pushover for most of the book, has his time to shine that happens at the climax. Frankie is portrayed as a guy with a good heart deep down and of course that means he turns into an ally. Doctor Hudson is given a noble stance behind what she's done but goes about her task in the completely wrong way, almost a typical antagonist archetype.<br />In the end, everything's peachy, everything turns out fine, and that whole small sci-fi angle is just a meaningless nod in the grand scheme of things.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rawsthorne gives us no reason to like any of the characters. They are
bland and hollow non-constructs with pre-scripted emotions happening
almost as if on cue. We can't see ourselves in their shoes and we can't
relate to any of them because there's nothing to relate to. Its like
Rawsthorne did not care for her characters either, no emotional
attachment. Just puppets in play. So why should we care either?</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Its not very well written. There are letters and sometimes words missing, especially near the end. It seems as though Paula Rawsthorne was excited about the ending and rushed to get it done. I'm honestly surprised it took me a long time to finish reading it but then I think of just how bored I was with it. <b>Its all tell, no show</b>. Where time could be spent fleshing out characters, places, situations, histories, etc. it spends that time jumping between moments and characters, telling the reader what's happening.<br />Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way. There are no holes in the plot, its fleshed out as well as it could be, and its not meant to be hard sci-fi. Its also certainly not meant to be a groundbreaking slice-of-life relatable story. Its just a story. It happens. You read it and put it on your shelf. You don't have to read it again after that. Like I will do. That's the only way I can look at it.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">******</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Above is my original review posted to GoodReads.com. I had just finished the book and, only a few days before, thought I was going to enjoy the rest of it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But I was wrong.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As I was writing the part of the character not growing up, it occurred to me that a story series from years ago did just that but almost got it right.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Replica by Marilyn Kaye</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sadly, both of these books are mainly meant for an audience of teenage girls, but what I like is the story. I like the mystery of the past and the sci-fi angle. I don't "relate" to the stories, I just enjoy them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marilyn Kaye shows us how Amy grows throughout the series; we understand what she goes through. Meanwhile Paula Rawsthorne doesn't give any inkling that Celia understands her situation. She's never given <i>time</i> to allow it to sink in before she's suddenly in peril. Next thing we know, its all sunshine and the future is bright.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How is it that a book series from 1998 about a pre-teen girl in California almost got right what a book from 2011 about a teenage girl in the UK couldn't?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes Replica had more time to flesh things out because it is a series, but Amy is sometimes presented as a naive youth even in the most obvious of dangerous situations. She learns, she reacts, she grows, she's <i>living</i>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The disappointment in Celia Frost comes from the fact that it doesn't even try. We're given no time between the immediacy of the conflict and the last chapter that lets us know she's understanding of what's going on and what weight the world has placed on her shoulders.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Replica has readers caring about Amy, her mother, and her friends. Celia Frost has us wanting to know more about what's going on with them rather than just what's happening.</span></div>
Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-36828965833066563362013-08-30T00:45:00.001-04:002013-08-30T00:45:36.832-04:00Doctor Who Theory<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Doctor Who fans, I've just thought of a theory during a conversation I was having with a friend of mine. Read this link first.</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/08/not-some-new-man-the-hidden-pattern-behind-the-doctors-regenerations" target="_blank"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Not Some New Man: The Hidden Pattern Behind the Doctor’s Regenerations </span></span></a><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Read it? No? Go read it. Do it, its important.</span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">At one point it says: "When all hope seemed lost, that girl (Rose) came
back to him and saved him. And that was the moment, the place where the
Doctor came back, too, and realized that he was still pleased to be
that man even after all he had done."<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> <br /> Look at 9 (Eccleston): tall, average, unassuming, mild haircut, everyday clothes.<br />
He was a shell of the former Doctors. He lost himself but Rose re-awakened within him the need to set
things right, and he was back to himself, 10 (Tennant).<br /> Buuuuuut...<br />
11 (Smith) lies a lot, he's covering the truth because his companions get too
close and he doesn't want them to know what happened during the Time
War.<br /> It all hinges on how John Hurt really plays into the story.<br /> Each regeneration seems to have a basis on the previous ones.<br /> <br /> And a new theory:<br /> Has the Doctor, 8-11, been through the time war yet? (We can only assume that between the split of the old and new series that that was when the Time War occurred.)<br /> Does the Doctor know about it because he's already met his future self?<br /> Has the time war even happened yet and is 9 (Eccleston, regenerated from 8, ended the War) or 8 (regenerates into 9 due to an injury from the War) actually responsible for it?<br />
OOOORRRR has a future incarnation of the Doctor went back and stopped
it all already and told the Doctor that we currently know all about it? Maybe he
set in place a permanent state in time by banishing the two races?</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]">The Time War HAS and HASN'T happened yet. It makes sense to me but I can't make you understand it. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[52cgq].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377254}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"><span data-reactid=".r[52cgq].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377254}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[52cgq].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377254}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]">The
War has happened, but its our current Doctor's destiny to go back in time and
end the War. I guess that's about the best way I can describe it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[33fcf].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377236}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[52cgq].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377254}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"><span data-reactid=".r[52cgq].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377254}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[52cgq].[1][4][1]{comment10200825139203788_5377254}.[0].[1].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /> MIND = BLOOOWN!!</span></span></span></span></span></span></h5>
Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-48452016039817755772012-02-02T22:12:00.000-05:002012-04-21T21:21:59.544-04:00Some Facts About Me<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
My biggest fears are of dying alone and of not accomplishing anything.</div>
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For all the years I've spent playing video games alone I HATE being by myself these days. </div>
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I'm afraid of death to the point that it gives me a panic attack if I think about it too much.</div>
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I hate touching rust, it reminds me of tetanus shots even though I've never had one. </div>
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I over-think situations and constantly focus on the negative when a bad outcome is most apparent. I let things get to me too easily.<br />
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I hate liars. I used to lie constantly in middle school about my life only to realize that my two friends weren't buying any of it.</div>
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<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I wanted to be an artist when I was a kid. I didn't bother practicing and stopped when I realized that I <i>really</i> had no talent for it.<br />
<br />
When I was 3 years old I hit my head on the foot board of the bunk bed my brother and I shared. I can't remember anything around that time and since then I have had memory troubles.</div>
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I blame years of taking Ritalin/Methylphenidate (the generic kind) for messing with my mind. These drugs were prescribed for kids with ADD/ADHD and I honestly think that I was put on them because my brother was also.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Just like most other people, I have a hard time admitting when I'm wrong.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I want to learn to speak Italian and Russian.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I want to name my son Colin Lawrence Otto. Colin after Colin McRae and Lawrence for my friend Larry. If I have a daughter I want to name her Madeline.</div>
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<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I used to be a skateboarding poser. I stopped after figuring out that the only two skaters I knew were douche bags and no one wanted to teach me how to ride a board.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I've never been drunk or high. I've never smoked a cigarette.</div>
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Pastas and barbecue are my favorite foods.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I used to be the kid that would sneak toys to school in my book bag.</div>
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In middle school I considered myself bisexual but I was never curious about trying anything. I would admire some guys for their looks but looking back I suppose it was more jealousy because I've never thought of myself as good looking.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I've never liked wearing hats, necklaces, or watches but I still wore/wear them.</div>
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I've never been a big fan of blonde, blue-eyed girls. Natural beauty has always caught my attention. The first thing I notice on a woman is her eyes.<br />
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I'm a Grammar Nazi and my biggest spelling pet peeve is when people use "of" instead of "have." (i.e. "I could of had a sandwich.")<br />
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I like traveling and so far my favorite place has been Oregon.<br />
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I became a geek by tinkering around with computers by myself. For that everyone seems to think I know everything about them.<br />
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I like classical music. Chopin is my favorite pianist and Andrea Bocelli is my favorite opera singer.<br />
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I don't mean to brag but I'm the best Tetris player I know.<br />
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I like women with short hair. Examples would be Audrey Hepburn and Emma Watson.<br />
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Thunderstorms used to terrify me to no end when I was a kid. I would be completely under my bed covers and would even unplug my TV and fish tank for fear of being struck by lightning.<br />
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I used to very anti-social and very shy. Fortunately I grew out of it but I'm a quiet person. I think I can attribute this to my brother wanting to be the center of attention growing up.<br />
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I love reading World War 2 history. And WW2-era movies or movies about WW2 are my favorite.<br />
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I used to want to be a writer. Just like all writers I figured my stuff wasn't any good so I never pursued it. These days my writing mainly consists of video game reviews and other blogs.<br />
<br />
TRUSTCompany can be credited with my favorite song of all-time "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE_0m5OkyN4&ob=av2e" target="_blank">Downfall</a>."<br />
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I'm trustworthy to a fault. I try to see the good in most people, but these days its getting harder to tell.<br />
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My childhood hero was Sonic the Hedgehog.<br />
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For right now, these will have to hold you over. I will update more when I get the chance.</div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-75039148779441998252012-01-12T09:24:00.000-05:002012-02-05T20:44:53.427-05:00Album Review: Bush "The Sea of Memories"<div style="color: #666666;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bush is definitely a different band than what they were 11 years ago when they last left us with 2001's <i>Golden State</i>. Their newest album, <i>Sea of Memories</i>, released in September of 2011, is also a completely different monster. Their sound is more mature and it shows through all aspects of this new record. There is less crunching in the guitars and less maniacal oscillating in the pitch. Its hard to take this album upfront without acknowledging the long history of Bush. Destined to be "just another post-grunge band," they've proven with this album that they're not content to be labeled in that category by reaching into the alternative rock atmosphere and bringing back some new tricks. I'm not going to BS my way through this review by trying to sound like a professional music reviewer, so yes, this will be mostly be an amateur critique as well as my thoughts on the album.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The opening songs <i>The Mirror of the Signs</i>, <i>The Sound of Winter</i>, and <i>All My Life </i>have lyrics similar to past Bush albums, while the audio shows that the band has matured not just musically but in life. With two new guitarists at the sides, they've settled down and are less teen angst and more "settled into a cubicle for a career." I can also best sum it as the day you finally looked past your awkward teenage years, accepted that life is life and that you have to push forward. This is music for that day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I suppose this new-found maturity comes from the lead singer, Gavin Rossdale, having spent time doing solo work and attempting to grow musically. In the ten years since Bush's absence, Rossdale went on to form the short-lived (but one of my all-time favorite bands) <a href="http://allmusic.com/artist/institute-p734327">Institute</a>. There, the lyrics were still crazy, the guitars had a little less beef to them and it seemed Rossdale wasn't about to go forward in experimenting with a new sound. It was simply Bush with a different name. After Institute, Rossdale's solo career found him with only a few hits in "Adrenaline" (coming from the <i>xXx</i> movie soundtrack) and "Love Remains the Same." While his solo album WANDERlust was simply calmer Bush lyrics drenched in mild adult rock guitar harmonies, he couldn't escape his past and what the cult following of fans really wanted. Rossdale showed that he was willing to change the sound and presentation, but not the lyrics. If you're a fan of his nonsensical musings, then you'll feel right at home with Sea of Memories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The other members are looking at the camera, but I bet Rossdale is only thinking of more weird lyrics.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If I were to pinpoint the highlights of the album it would be with <i>The Sound of Winter </i>and <i>All My Life</i>, where Rossdale's short verse singing and chorus-crooning coincides perfectly with the post-grunge guitars, crashing cymbals, and little post-production effort. The moment in the latter song where the music fades then hits with a guitar solo is definitely Bush's way of saying "Yeah, we've changed, but we still remember who we are."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Afterlife</i> takes the album one step further into the rock territory only to dip into the piano-backed <i>All Night Doctors</i>. Don't get me wrong: its a great slow song but for it to be stuck after four fast-paced songs is hard to ignore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Baby Come Home</i> is another rock ballad about missing someone and the emotions behind it. Typical if you've listened to any of the previous Bush albums besides their single releases. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rest of the album picks up from their and takes you on a trip down memory lane where the only feeling you'll have is longing to listen to their past albums.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Sea of Memories</i> is definitely a change. Unfortunately most people hate change. There are still hints of proverbial past regrets but for the most part </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Sea of Memories</i> shows what happens when a band lets go of angst and decides to grow up. If you've been a fan of Bush in past decades, you'll find something new to listen to here. Unfortunately if you've only liked one or two songs from them, you might be turned off by the different presentations that each song offers and I would suggest only buying <i>The Sound of Winter</i> and <i>All My Life</i>. At the same time, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">it works well if you're a complete
newcomer to Bush's music. It has enough to it to make you want to listen til the end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Lyrics: 3/5</b> This is the weakness, Rossdale sounds like he did before and the lyrics show little change. They're all over the place and make little sense. Its a trademark of Rossdale's but for once it would be nice if he ditched the poeticism and wrote a song like a story. I know he's capable of expanding that much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Music: 4/5</b> Bush knows who they were and who they are now. The change is good. They show confidence in their sound <i>but</i> they're still a run-of-the-mill post-grunge band. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Presentation: 3/5</b> (This is the harsh part) The best part of the album is at the beginning but suddenly slows to rock ballads only to attempt to pick up again. Personally, I <i>HATE</i> when albums do this. You take me for a quick, fast ride then stop at the burger place for a bite for yourself only to take me back home to eat leftovers. What good is that? The slow songs would have been better left as the closing tracks. Also a little more post-production wouldn't have hurt, more variation in the guitar sounds, more definition in the drums.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Moods:</b> Mellow to Rushed, Forlorn/Longing, Accomplished, Lonely</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Overall:</b> Give it a listen first.</span></div>
</div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-84036917933675050642011-12-26T02:57:00.000-05:002012-02-05T21:03:49.799-05:00Untitled<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
This blog is a jumbled mess. its about the death of my dad and just me venting to get it all out. Just read it if you want to.<br />
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On Thursday, December 22, 2011, at 12:40 a.m., my dad died due to cancer. Last month, the doctors said he had only 4 - 6 months left to live. It started in his colon, and after surgery it spread. Chemo took care of it in his liver and kidneys, but after that it went to his spine. He underwent radiation treatment but that was taking too much of a toll on his body so he took himself off. If he had stayed on radiation, it would have only prolonged the time to possibly a few months.</div>
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At this point my family is pretty shaken up by it, we're trying to cope, yet we seem to be walking on egg shells. Tomorrow is his funeral. As of writing this, I will burying my dad in 11 hours.</div>
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My dad was never one to openly cry, and sometimes it seemed the only expression he could muster was anger or disappointment. I suppose it comes from his dad but I wouldn't know seeing as how I've never met either of my grandfathers. My dad's always been demanding, always tried to insist he was right all the time. He was hard-headed, he knew a lot but he didn't know it all.</div>
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He worked at a grocery store and the highlight of his day was seeing some of his customers. He would always talk about what customer did what, who said what, and would always bring conversations back to them. I regret telling him to stop talking about them. Sometimes he would dominate and conversation by going on and on about someone. I didn't think of it then, but from what his co-workers tell me he did the same about us to his customers. He would always speak so highly of us but at home he was a different person.<br />
He had a dark side to him. We all do. But his was an unspoken family secret. I don't want to go into details but just know that it put a shadow over our lives for a very long time.</div>
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On Tuesday, December 12, my pastor convinced him to go into hospice. He knew he wasn't going to get out alive so he asked to talk to whoever he could. When he wanted to speak to me he FINALLY told me he loved me and he apologized for the way he had acted for so long. It was a 12 or 13 year old burden lifted off of my shoulders. I felt lighter for a few days until I learned that he had gone downhill. When I last saw him alive, he was skin and bones. He hadn't eaten anything because he couldn't swallow. He could barely see who was in front of him and I'm not sure he knew I was there. The last words I said to him were "I'll see you later, I love you."<br />
I'm glad I got the chance to say that. I wouldn't be seeing him later but I just hope he understood that I do love him.<br />
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The night he passed, my family sat in the room at the hospice and just took it all in. He was really skin and bones then. He looked like a mummy. He had no muscles left. After seeing him like that, I'm not sure what killed him: the cancer, the medications making him unable to operate, or the lack of nutrients his body needed.<br />
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Soon my brother and I will have to step up and start helping my mom, not only supporting her emotionally but with paying bills. The three of us might need to get second jobs but I don't want to spend the rest of my life paying off old bills. I'm uncertain about the future, like I always am. But this time I can honestly say that I have no idea what to expect. I will try my damnedest to make it.<br />
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I don't want to be like my dad. I don't want to always be right. I don't want to lord over my home. I want a relationship with my wife, I want to lead my family with her by my side. I want to make decisions with her. I want to hold my wife and tell her I love her. I want to tell my kids I love them. I want to be the best dad ever. It takes effort and not just putting food on the table. Being there is what its about. I want to teach my kids what I can while constantly learning about them.<br />
I am a lot like my dad but I can only hope that I don't turn out to be like him. <br />
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I don't know if I should continue writing this eulogy or not. I don't know whether to present it or not. On one hand I don't know what to say. Some people say write I feel. But I've never been good at expressing that. I guess its time I start.</div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-21005827094804479962011-12-12T17:08:00.000-05:002011-12-12T17:08:37.119-05:00Video: Mayer Hawthorne - Dreaming<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I'm following the Rock-afire Explosion on Facebook and they posted this music video from artist Mayer Hawthorne. I've never heard of him but after watching the video he seems pretty good. Very mellow. But this post isn't about him, its about the animatrocities in the video. </div>
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Sit back, relax, grab some pizza, and prepare to get freaked out once again.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yJXvEs-uCmk?hd=1" width="640"></iframe>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-79971842449354679852011-11-26T06:39:00.001-05:002011-11-26T06:44:37.677-05:00Charlie Chaplin's Greatest Speech<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
For a man that made an entire career from being silent and comedic, he made one of the best and most heartfelt speeches ever recorded. I listen to this several times a week and it reminds me to stay humble, never be greedy, and most importantly to help others.</div>
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<br /></div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-91334180412584793672011-07-10T13:40:00.000-04:002011-07-11T14:32:12.884-04:00I'm Suddenly An Anime Fan (A longer than normal post)<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hello.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My name is Garrett.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And I watch anime.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, I'm sorry to admit it and I know it might disturb some people but, trust me, I'm not at the raving lunatic, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay">cosplaying</a>, japanese-phrase speaking, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku">otaku</a> level yet. I'm easing into a spot where I can find out what I like and what I don't like. Modern American cartoons these days seem to lack focus and are just bright colors and loud distractions for little kids.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've been looking for and watching anime series online (I'm sorry. I'm broke. I can't afford to go out and buy tons of DVDs) and so far only a few have impressed me. I'm staying away from anything Dragonball, Naruto, Bleach, Deathnote, and Yu-gay-ho related. Basically anything that has been touched by 4Kids Entertainment, Shonen Jump, and anything overplayed by Adult Swim is pretty much off of my viewing list.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm trying to find and watch dubbed episodes. I know that's blasphemous to some but I can't read and watch what's going on at the same time without pausing every few seconds. That doesn't mean the argument about it is closed. School Days was subbed and I watched that.<br />
I seem to watch a lot of comedies, sci-fi, and what some would call "girl's cartoons." Don't laugh at that, usually they have better-written stories, more fleshed-out characters, and better animation. There are a few action shows that I like to see, but for the most part they seem to be focused on superpowers and showing as much skin on a cartoon woman as allowable.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">School Rumble, Love Hina, Elfen Lied, K-On, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Tenjo Tenge are so far a few of the ones I've watched and really liked.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used to watch anime in the past and for a while the only things I stuck to and swore by were Sailor Moon and Serial Experiments Lain. Back in middle school, I admit, I was into DBZ until one day I just realized how awful it really is: two men staring at each other, panting, thinking, panting, waiting, panting, staring, panting... for 30 minutes!<br />
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I'm half-hearted writing these as reviews on some of the shows that have interested me so far. I'm sure there will be others, and I'm sure there will be bothers. Like I said: I'm finding out what I like and what I don't. For starters, a show needs to have a good premise to it. If it sounds like several other descriptions that I've read then I automatically pass on it.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/lain5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/lain5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I own the first disc of Serial Experiments Lain with the first four episodes. Back when I first heard about it, it perked my ears a little.The plot sounded great. But a few weeks ago I was able to find and watch the next three episodes and I really have to say: <i>Whaaaaaaaaaaaa???!!</i> I have no idea what's going on. Its not that there are so many different characters, the cast is usually stable, but its the jumping from the real world to the wired and back from scene to scene that gets confusing. Some of the characters have done a 180 personality switch in just one episode. But aside from the whole "screwing with your mind and not sticking to one point" plotline, it's a very moody show. It was done entirely on computer and the art is heavy with shadows most of the time. The main character, Lain, appears timid in some scenes and the next she's mouthing off to someone.<br />
It leads the viewer on for a little while then drops them into an art motif of shadows and crowds of people just standing around. The story advances without the watcher even noticing it and by the time you realize its taken a step forward its the end of the episode.<br />
POINT, PLEASE?! <br />
Despite all of its many shortcomings, Serial Experiments Lain is perfect for the people who think the Matrix is real or for emo kids looking for God.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumbs/School-Rumble-Extra-Class-1-English-Dubbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumbs/School-Rumble-Extra-Class-1-English-Dubbed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I sort of have a gripe with a few of the shows I've been watching. One in particular is School Rumble and (almost) EVERY. MALE. CHARACTER. They seem to have their minds set on winning the hearts of one of the girls, but then one of them overhears someone or sees the girl doing something with another character or has a stray thought for not seeing their heartthrob and suddenly they assume that she either hates their guts or is about to run off and marry a turtle or something. Its the assuming they do in EACH and EVERY episode that just sets me on edge. They act stupid sometimes to the point that they can't stop their imaginations from thinking the worst. They're not poorly written, some of them have some depth and seem pure in their reasons, but the often single-mindedness that each one has is what's wrong. Meanwhile the girls are well done with differing personalities and personal lives. Albeit some of their problems can't relate to real life its still interesting seeing how things mesh out. The ending to the series is a satisfying one but may not be one that the viewer was hoping for.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you're into goofy lovefest high school drama cartoons with the ability to poke fun at itself on some occasions then its definitely worth watching.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumb/haibane-renmei-episode-3-english-dubbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumb/haibane-renmei-episode-3-english-dubbed.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Haibane Renmei (translated means <span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Charcoal Feather Federation) </i></span>is the most beautiful anime I've ever seen and so far my most favorite. A fantastically-written story, interesting characters, and a world that the viewer is thrown in to that has a fair amount of mystery to it make it an unforgettable show and worth picking up the DVD set for. The best way to explain the show's existence would be to read about it from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haibane_Renmei#D.C5.8Djinshi">Wikipedia</a>.<br />
The story follows Rakka, a newborn Haibane (people that resemble angels) and how she grows to accept her new but short life. Unable to remember who she once was and not allowed to go searching for answers, her new life follows through with questions, smiles, tears and a depth of writing that really make you feel for the characters.<br />
It bothered me that the show never went as in-depth as my curiosity wanted it to go. Why do the charcoal feathers exist alongside normal humans? Is this the same earth or a version of heaven? Why is no one allowed outside the wall? Its these questions that kept me hooked from beginning to end and I won't spoil any of it because I <i><b>WANT</b></i> you to see it for yourself.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/love-hina-love-hina-369523_600_444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/love-hina-love-hina-369523_600_444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Love Hina is a romanticom that's mostly slapstick humor, quick storylines, misunderstandings, gropings, beatings, and personal crushes. Think Tenchi Muyo without the aliens.<br />
Keitaro fails the entrance exam into Tokyo University (several times) and finds himself unable to return home to face his parents. After his grandmother leaves him in charge of a girl's dormitory, chaos ensues with personal spaces invaded, samurai girls swinging swords, jealousy around every corner, and even a giant turtle attack. Its another goofy lovefest where you never know where someone's heart will land. And if Keitaro doesn't keep his hands to himself his will land on the ground outside of his chest.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I recommend it for someone looking for something light-hearted but the humor might not be the cup of tea for some since most of it involves Keitaro getting whacked in one way or another.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static2.channels.com/thumbnails/Anime-Zone-Anime-Zone--School-Days-Anime-Review-e13171382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static2.channels.com/thumbnails/Anime-Zone-Anime-Zone--School-Days-Anime-Review-e13171382.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">*YARRR! THAR BE SPOILERS AHEAD* </div>School days is based on a game that's infamous for some either violent endings or pleasant ones depending on the player's choices. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_Days_%28visual_novel%29#Delay_of_finale">Wikipedia</a>, the last episode almost caused a bit of an uproar. After watching a few episodes you assume that its just a romance story. It masquerades as a bright and colorful cartoon but about halfway through the series things take a bit of a turn into bi-polar territory. It boils over into a love triangle that the main male character, Makoto, stupidly sets himself up for; eventually involving more than just two girls and even an orgy at one point. Yeah, this one is definitely not for the kiddies.<br />
<div style="color: black;">Eventually, Kotonoha Katsura, Makoto's original love interest, <i>snaaaaaps </i>after being unable to handle the fact that Makoto doesn't love her anymore, to the point where she speaks on her phone to him even after the battery has died. Sekai Saionji, the friend that helps Makoto and Kotonoha become lovers, tries to help Makoto "practice" love-making. This takes a bad turn when she believes she gets pregnant by Makoto and "accidentally" shouts it in front of the whole class.</div>In all honesty, School Days just isn't that impressive of an anime. It focuses on the romances and lusts of Makoto without ever diving into the personalities or lives of the main characters. Its shallow and short on story and while it is admirable for 0verflow to stick to the romance plot it begs to be understood why Makoto jumped from girl to girl. What made him that way? Kotonoha talks about her family's yacht, is she rich? Just a lot of things unanswered. The ending is disappointing and flatout creepy. As far as anime cartoons go you can watch worse but you can definitely see a lot better.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.se51.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/robinCast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://www.se51.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/robinCast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For those of you looking for something a bit more dark and action-oriented, you can't go wrong with Witch Hunter Robin. The thing that impresses me the most about this series is the fluid animation, done by Sunrise, who also worked on Cowboy Bebop, a favorite anime of mine. Things like fire and water, character movement, and camera flow throughout an area all have a certain animation to them that Sunrise fans have called "Sunrise Smooth."</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Robin is a craft user of fire who is sent to Japan to help the STN-J contain witches and solve murder mysteries left in their wakes. The storyline is well thought-out, the characters are quiet but what they do reveal of themselves in small moments is deep. The nighttime moments are dark with a certain anxiety vibe to them while the daytime sees the characters more relaxed (maybe because they're not afraid of being executed in broad daylight). Without trying to spoil too much, the ending to the series leaves it wide open for a 2nd season, but unfortunately that remains to be seen.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There's a miniscule amount of romance involved in it but its briefly mentioned. I can easily recommend it to any one looking for action balanced with story, and a bit of dabbling into the supernatural. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://nd01.jxs.cz/041/455/caa1217de9_24056447_o2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://nd01.jxs.cz/041/455/caa1217de9_24056447_o2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Gunslinger Girl is another beautifully animated show. It follows a group of young girls who have been adopted by the Italian government and given cybernetic implants to make them the most dangerous assassins.<br />
What's supposed to be the basis of the show attempts to weigh the balance of the girl's training with their childlike innocence. They are transformed to be killing machines but mentally they are still little girls. It doesn't delve into this plotpoint as wholeheartedly as it could and it leaves a few gaps in the story. This makes it really hard to understand the girls since nothing of their past is ever explained, save for one of them who remembers. Its not a thought-provoking anime and I suppose its meant to be taken as is, but more could have been done with story and more character development could have taken place. I've heard that some backstory reveals happen in the second season but I haven't seen it yet. Regardless, I recommend everyone watch this because of the gorgeous scenery, smooth animations, action sequences, and the operatic soundtrack that fits perfectly with Italy. Who can be disappointed when a songstress sings a tune while bullets are being sprayed?<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would describe more but these are the only one's I've watched so far. I plan on catching up with other series such as Ghost In The Shell, Blood+, Chobits, Ergo Proxy, s-CRY-ed, Highschool of the Dead, Vampire Knight, Great Teacher Onizuka, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Noir, Rosario + Vampire, Outlaw Star, Pokemon (because I NEVER saw it through to the last episode), Wolf's Rain, Trigun, YuYu Hakusho (those three were on Adult Swim but were not overplayed), and Valkyria Chronicles....</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well it looks like I won't be running out of things to watch any time soon. Although since starting a job a couple of weeks ago, my time to relax has been belittled and filled with whatever games I can manage to fit in. I usually watch an episode or two while eating dinner so its been slow going as of late. I can definitely see why some people prefer anime to American cartoons. While Haibane Renmei will never be able to replace Swat Kats on my list of favorite cartoons, they're closely tied.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
And with that, I leave you all once again. If you're not into anime I'm sure you can find some that are categorized into genres you like. Give them a try and find out that they're nothing like American cartoons.<br />
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(Also, I wrote this without even mentioning Avatar: The Last Airbender, save for this moment, because I know some otakus <i>haaaaate</i> that some people consider it anime. I know its not and you're welcome.)</div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-51337351841292305592011-06-19T15:04:00.000-04:002011-06-19T15:04:18.889-04:00Ever Wonder What Happened To Danny Tamberelli?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You know, Danny Tamberelli.... Little Pete from the Adventures of Pete & Pete and All That?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well it looks like the episode where he learns he to play the guitar has really stuck with him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He's been in a band the past few years called Jounce. Have a listen:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/TGWI_JGuFSo/0.jpg" height="400" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TGWI_JGuFSo&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="480" height="400" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TGWI_JGuFSo&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The flat tone of Danny's vocals and how the lyrics are written, the way the guitars pick up in the chorus and calms back down for the verse; it reminds me of Polaris,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the band that did the music for Pete & Pete. I can understand why seeing as how Danny learned from the lead singer for the purpose of that episode... or so I've heard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Setting aside the fact that it's Danny Tamberelli singing, Jounce is one of the best indie alt rock bands I've ever heard. I sometimes get in the mood for mellow music and they have that perfect sound to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The one thing I'm not liking though is how some people's comments on YouTube complain about something to do with him being Little Pete. All they see is him. Jounce is the band, and Danny's not using his child star status to boost them into the limelight. If anything it seem they're trying to make it on their own and that's what I like about them. They're good musicians who make good music, and I hope this video has shed a little light on them and they're sound.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh and he's also doing <a href="http://manboobscomedy.com/">ManBoobs Comedy</a>. What? Don't give me that look....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Its some pretty funny sketch comedy and it gives the pathetic foolish... I mean, fans of Danny's acting/comedy a few good nods to let everyone know that he's not done in the comedy scene yet.</span><br />
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</span>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-22302334556699726462011-04-14T23:03:00.000-04:002011-12-12T17:09:11.916-05:00Limited Edition Ice Blue Game Boy Pocket<div style="text-align: center;">
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I wanted one of these sooooo bad when I was a kid. I instead got the generic silver color that everyone else had. Each time the commercial came on it taunted me. Sure I can find one on ebay these days, and as of writing this I see one for only $10, and I'm dying inside to have it. I already have a GBA SP and Super Game Boy, so why would I want a Pocket?<br />
Just to say I have it! The collector in me wants it so bad.<br />
Although from my memory I could have sworn it was the same as the silver Pocket just with a blue color to it. Guess I was wrong.Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-24580144340203570202011-04-09T17:56:00.000-04:002011-12-12T17:09:39.804-05:00Do the Mario!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
Here's a hit of nostalgia for ya. Its good stuff, isn't it?</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/65uNCLBTje0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe></div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-3252630145112927632011-03-13T01:04:00.000-05:002011-12-12T17:10:09.556-05:00The Rock-afire Explosion Documentary<div style="text-align: center;">
or.... "Does Anyone Remember This From <i>Before </i>It Was Chuck E. Cheese?"</div>
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While browsing on <a href="http://www.retrojunk.com/">RetroJunk.com</a>, I read an article that mentioned the <a href="http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/7471/">great birthday places of our youth</a>. Places like McDonald's, Chuck. E. Cheese and Pizza Hut (Oddly enough, Burger King isn't mentioned). But while reading I started to remember the terrifying animatronic show of Showbiz Pizza that was/is... <br />
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I only went there maybe twice a year if I was lucky, and half the time the robots were broken and a disembodied voice would speak to the others. The one thing I primarily remember about this show was that it scared the bejeesus out of me. The creepy anthropomorphic robots on stage that sang daily, and specially for kids on their birthdays, would be the things I avoided to the point that I would leave if they tried to sing Happy Birthday to me. <br />
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<a href="http://tech.mit.edu/V129/N14/graphics/rockafire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://tech.mit.edu/V129/N14/graphics/rockafire.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/rockafireexplosion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/rockafireexplosion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Because THIS ISN'T NATURAL!</span></div>
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But I digress, majorly. After seeing the Rock-afire Explosion mentioned in the article above, I was curious if anyone else remembered this <strike>nightmare</strike> classic show from my childhood. A Google search quickly turned up something more than I expected:</div>
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It turns out that there is <a href="http://www.rockafiremovie.com/home.php">a documentary on this ole' band</a> and it features a man from the city that's (literally) less than 5 miles from me: Chris Thrash from Phenix City. He's been so touched by them that he's bought and refurbished each member. More than likely he obtained the robots that performed in the Showbiz Pizza I went to as a kid here in Columbus. Its a small world after all. To the side of the video on the homepage is a tour date listed, which leads me to believe that he takes this band on the road for others to enjoy, and that is awesome.</div>
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Despite being a mental terror to me when I was young, I find it interesting that a documentary has been made about this. This is some hardcore geeky stuff, and I love it. I have yet to <i>see it</i>, but I want to. </div>
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I also intend to make it known to people that this DVD exists, which is the purpose of this blog. And I hope I've done the job.</div>
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I'm no movie reviewer, in fact, on my other blog I've stated that I've stopped writing video game reviews due to lack of interest from the audience. But if I can get my hands on this documentary, rest assured I'll let you all know how it is. But don't wait to take my word for it, go buy it yourself and remember a piece of your childhood.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9yNitSBXzsA" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe></div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-58376337351466837232010-10-24T17:01:00.000-04:002011-12-12T17:10:25.674-05:00Tandy CompootersIn 1990... something... it was the early 90's, that's as much a gray area in my mind as a hippie in the 70s.<br />
Anyway, in 1990-something, my parents bought my family our first computer: a Tandy T-1000. I think.<br />
No, not the terminator, try far less advanced. A computer that took a second to think of the answer to 1 + 1, flash the screen, and then display the answer.<br />
I've mostly seen that it was sold in Radio Shack stores which is odd seeing as how my family got ours from Service Merchandise.<br />
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Does that logo do it for you? No? Well, I tried.</div>
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I've looked online for pictures of this computer and have come up short in all areas. I'm not even sure if it <i>was</i> a T-1000 model or beyond. We got it for $1000 and as we were paying for it, the dealer said it was already obsolete. Go figure.</div>
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My parents got the computer for my brother and I to learn things but there was nothing <i>to </i>learn. Come to think of it, I don't remember my parents <i>ever </i>using the Tandy to do anything besides my mom <i>trying </i>create a shopping list, and it even failed to do that!</div>
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It came with this giant laser printer that used a dot matrix instead of actual characters, it was loud, useless, and I'm pretty sure never worked to begin with. It had to be fed with a stack of paper that we kept under the desk it was on. The paper stayed there for years until we finally decided we didn't need any of it anymore.</div>
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My brother and I used it to play games whenever we weren't absorbed by the Sega Genesis or cartoons. We had Wheel of Fortune and an Indy racing game we had somehow come into possession of. There were pathetic paint and hangman programs but those are barely worth mentioning. I spent a lot of time racing the wrong way on the track of the Indy game, wrecking the other cars and not bothering to actually play it. I think my brother beat it once and the ending was just a few pictures and then it restarted. </div>
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The programs <i>ran</i> on, I kid you not, floppy diskettes. If you wanted to do some painting, you'd have to find the diskette and pop it in. Wanted to type something? There was a separate program on another diskette. Needed to look up a word in the dictionary? You had to go find the book. There wasn't even a dictionary in this thing!</div>
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We had an AOL floppy diskette and I, not knowing much about computers back then, tried to use it. Someone from the place my dad used to work at gave him an external Pentium modem. We never bothered to hook it up since my parents were thinking of buying a new computer.</div>
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After they had bought the "newer" computer (an underpowered Gateway for, again, $1000), we gave the old Tandy to a neighbor of ours. He cracked it open he was amazed at what he saw: the thing had no hard drive. The entire computer was running off of the DOS! And not MS-DOS, mind you.</div>
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The whole memories of the Tandy computer are just that: memories. It played no important role in my childhood or even life for that matter. I've simply written this blog to find out if anyone else had one of these atrocities, or something as equally as bad.</div>
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Leave a comment: what was your first POS computer?</div>Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077499675649761868.post-60676176025991831282010-10-13T00:50:00.000-04:002011-12-12T17:10:39.384-05:00Back-to-school Shopping? Not hardly.The idea of this blog came from <a href="http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/7058/">a Retrojunk.com article</a> that anyone born in the 80s or early 90s should read. <br />
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<<REWIND Growing up, I remember when I would go back-to-school shopping. It usually involved getting new shoes, new clothes, a new backpack, a haircut, etc. The usual fare that goes with the times. It was exciting, not knowing what to expect and often being surprised by things.<br />
>>FASTFORWARD My senior year of high school: I wore the same clothes, had the same notebooks, and didn't get my haircut the week before. I went into the year not knowing what to expect as everyone else does but it didn't intrigue me as it did when I was younger. I knew that most of the people were coming back to the same school, we even had Myspace to keep in touch over the summer.<br />
<<REWIND Back then I didn't know who was going to be in my classes. I hardly ever used the phone since I was either too busy having fun or never got friend's phone numbers.<br />
>>FASTFORWARD These days my cell phone never leaves my side. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned note writing during classes? My friends and would always play Messenger to one another and we never got caught.<br />
<<REWIND I was the awesome kid that smuggled toys in his Ninja Turtles bookbag.<br />
>>FASTFORWARD I was the geeky guy that carried a Bible in my books. Still awesome, but not as awesome as that sweet GameBoy bookbag I once had.<br />
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This thing? Yeah, believe it or not it was awesome.</div>
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Well... it was awesome when people weren't pretending to play it while IT WAS ON MY BACK! Yeah, you jerks.<br />
I suppose that's enough for now. A decent first entry I'd say. I've got more to come.Marcone Anteliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171409457301689012noreply@blogger.com0