A quick post today, to share with you that Simon’s Cat is sponsoring a monthly contest for readers. All you have to do is download a printout and take a picture of Simon’s Cat with your own furball.
To find out more about Simon’s Cat contest details, click here.
Here’s the latest video! It’s about a rabbit and well, a cat.
I went to see Tron: Legacy in the theatre and recently rented it, too. I mentioned earlier I picked up the soundtrack and, if I haven’t already said so, admire the depth and breadth of Jeff Bridges‘ acting abilities. (Incidentally, he’s also done quite a bit of charity work and founded the End Hunger Initiative.)
For me, a soundtrack can really make or break a film. I had issues with The Transporter because the music didn’t jive well. Sound is always what I focus on, and it’s something that really stands out to me. The sound and choreography is what made the film for me, because Tron: Legacy isn’t a movie so much as it is a performance piece.
Having played Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: II, Tron was pretty fresh in my mind. (Each game has a story embedded within it, that allows you to play in that world.) A lot of critics mentioned that the movie focused on the special effects and the action moreso than the human part of the story. I agree to some extent, but I also feel that the attention to philosophy overshadowed the character relationships. In some ways, I would classify this as an “epic” science fiction film, much in the same way that The Matrix wound up being.
In defense of the film, I feel there was no other way this movie could have been produced because there are several challenges that had to have been addressed. First, you have the problem of revisiting cutting edge technology that was portrayed at a time when special effects weren’t as advanced as they are now. You need a reason — within the story — for the world to have evolved. I felt this was handled well, so no problem there. Second, you have the challenge of treating Kevin Flynn’s character. What did he do inside the grid for that amount of time? Did he go insane? No, he focused on meditation so he wouldn’t. In some ways, his philosophical nature is completely justified. Again, problem solved.
Where it gets more complex, is when you start adding those relationships between father and son, son and love interest, student and teacher, teacher and creation, creation and world, etc. The way those relationships are portrayed doesn’t always come down to the actor. (I should note that I felt the casting was extremely well done.) For me, the script would have been stronger if Olivia didn’t exist, but at the same time, I enjoyed having a female character in the movie and expanding the world a bit, so I can understand why that was necessary. It leaves more room for sequels and the continuation of the story.
To sum up, I agree with the critics that there was a lot of focus on the shiny. But I also think that with the advances in technology and the volume of expansive films out there, we (e.g. the audience) is getting a lot more critical. My only hope is that Disney continues to venture into the science fiction and fantasy film making territories. There’s a lot of room for exploration and growth in the genres and I enjoy some of the more recent films they made. So, despite its flaws, I liked Tron: Legacy and would definitely see it again.
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the hard question for new writers, where I suggested that maybe, just maybe, it’s not a good idea to focus on what the rest of the publishing industry is doing if you haven’t honed your craft. Then, I followed up with a post about ditching the ego in favor of the basics, where I mentioned that it’s okay to write trunk novels and stories to pay attention to those skills.
I was doing some research for an upcoming article when I came across this article from S.V. Jones about trunk novels and the value of patience. In it, she writes that:
You have to know your temperament, and you have to block out the voices of your friends and family who constantly yell at you in passing, “This ebook thing is really taking off! Why haven’t you published your work yet? Hurry up and put something out there!”
Yeeeeaaaaah…no. I’m going to publish when I’m damn good and ready. I know that most of my work up until recently just ISN’T READY, and even the project I’m working on now will need lots of outside critiquing and revisions before it’s ready for prime time. — SOURCE: Author S.V. Rowle on Trunk Novels and the Value of Patience
I really enjoyed this take on the subject because Rowle and I share similar experiences. I have an undergrad degree in Creative Writing as well, and the program focused on a particular style of writing as opposed to ripping apart genre. (e.g. More geared toward literary storytelling as opposed to popular fiction.) Since I was able to create my own courseload, I really got a lot out of my program, but I still wish I had the time to take small business-related courses that are so sorely needed in today’s environment.
If you have doubts about how you’re doing, give the article a read.
Every. Where. I. Look. The. 80s. Have. Returned. I hear people arguing about who sung which song. Most of the songs I stayed up late to watch music videos of are being remade. Smooth Criminal? SHEESH. I’m seeing feathers and cargo shirts and fluorescent yellows and men with perms.
If they bring back jelly shoes I might have to buy a Cabbage Patch kid. I mean, they’re already showing episodes of Jem and Rainbow Brite is on Netflix. What’s next? Friendship bracelets? Admittedly, I am making one simply because it’s absolutely, positively stupid that some sites are charging sixty bucks for them because they’re “in vogue.” ‘Course, this is coming from the girl who picked up a print of He-Man from Tim Seeley. Yeah, well. It’s He-Man. Didn’t you want to know what secrets Grayskull held?
Oy. To share my nostalgic pain, check out this video from Funny or Die. Not work safe. Just sayin’.
While the primary bulk of my time is spent writing these days, I often need a creative break. For that, I turn to something crafty and fun. (In this case…Cthulhu…)
I have in my possession a blank My Little Cthulhu with two victims, which was designed by John Kovalic. If you don’t know who he is, you may recall some of his projects including popular games like Munchkin and Apples to Apples, as well as several comics/toys/stories/etc. including Dork Tower and Doctor Blink.
How could I resist the call of the blank Cthulhu? The only thing is, I’ve painted toys before and I was never happy with the way they turned out. I’m kind of a precision line girl so it really screws me up if I can’t get the look I want. Since I’m an amateur when it comes to art, I’m still trying to figure out what materials work best while working on my drawing. (Let it be known that perspective is my biggest problem right now.) My friend Leanne Buckley was very supportive of my need for “art therapy.” It’s extremely relaxing to have play time and do projects like these for fun. Call it a guilty pleasure! I have a LOT of respect for professional artists and I’m often inspired by them to tinker in my spare time.
My solution here was to figure out what design I wanted to paint before I wrecked touched the figure. Matt (my fiance) thought it might be cool to paint a dreamscape on Cthulhu’s big head. So, the idea with this picture was to merge the cute take on Cthulhu that John had designed and play around with a possible dream. (Yes, those are bunny slippers, the full-size image was too big to scan. DOH!)
If it “worked,” then I’d use the theme to paint on my blank Cthulhu. If it didn’t, then I’d try something else. After going through this process, I’m not sure how easy it would be to wrap around some of the straight lines, but drawing this was a blast. The base image was drawn using a set of Micron markers; I used Paint to color in the blocks. No fancy tools for this chica.
Ugh. I seem to have Cthulhu on the brain these days. Well, that and King Arthur, but that’s best left for another post, for another day. Back to my words!
