Tuesday, July 12, 2011
very important question
do you remember that time she made lemonade with heavy cream and vodka? yeah, me too.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Servicey!
Lots afoot these days. But seeing as how I've been awake before 7am everyday for the last two weeks, I'm going to take it easy on myself and give the update in an abbreviated list format.
1. I'm a real live librarian!
I weathered the post grad school slump (12 months of moodiness behind me!) and scored a job at the lovely Brooklyn academic library I've been interning at since the fall. It's true what they say, networking/working for free is the best way to get your foot in the door, but I still feel quite lucky that it's all worked out so well. My commute is a 15 minute walk and, once I'm here, I spend the day working with some pretty sharp librarians. Also, the library has plans for an Information Commons and I'll be helping to implement that. New tech hardware! Digital resources! Instruction! A bibliographic dream come true.
2. I've caught up with so much YA and comics
Infernal Devices, book 1, a good start.
Mortal Instruments, book 4, so glad Clary & crew are back!
Forrest of Hands and Teeth, such a good zombie tale (everything in the story it needs, no detours) I missed my subway stop.
The sequels (Dead-Tossed Waves, Dark and Hollow Places) solid, but the pacing wasn't as brutally good.
Sandman, onward ho!, I go (honestly, I can't call myself a comic geek until I get this under my belt). You'll be excited to know, Neil Gaiman still holds up as a genius.
Walking Dead, after Forrest of Hands and Teeth I need a break, but I'll pick it up again. Too many scary zombie dreams for the time. (a rewatch of the AMC series is not out of the question, however)
Where She Went, sequel I loved more than the original (If I Stay). Extreme circumstances at play (rockstars, tragic car accidents..), sure, but the drama reads like true life 20-something struggles. The novel gave me postpartum depression.
Lost Girls, those Victorian ponces, the Extraordinary Gentlemen, would be scandalized by this other work from Alan Moore. Fairytale heroines aside, this is erotica in its finest sense - no innocent childsplay here. Not offended, but not a thing I'd read in public.
3. Good things come in threes
Spring is here (sorta, like autumn with more brunch)! Summer's on the way! And, there are always Dr. Who screenings in the meantime.
1. I'm a real live librarian!
I weathered the post grad school slump (12 months of moodiness behind me!) and scored a job at the lovely Brooklyn academic library I've been interning at since the fall. It's true what they say, networking/working for free is the best way to get your foot in the door, but I still feel quite lucky that it's all worked out so well. My commute is a 15 minute walk and, once I'm here, I spend the day working with some pretty sharp librarians. Also, the library has plans for an Information Commons and I'll be helping to implement that. New tech hardware! Digital resources! Instruction! A bibliographic dream come true.
2. I've caught up with so much YA and comics
Infernal Devices, book 1, a good start.
Mortal Instruments, book 4, so glad Clary & crew are back!
Forrest of Hands and Teeth, such a good zombie tale (everything in the story it needs, no detours) I missed my subway stop.
The sequels (Dead-Tossed Waves, Dark and Hollow Places) solid, but the pacing wasn't as brutally good.
Sandman, onward ho!, I go (honestly, I can't call myself a comic geek until I get this under my belt). You'll be excited to know, Neil Gaiman still holds up as a genius.
Walking Dead, after Forrest of Hands and Teeth I need a break, but I'll pick it up again. Too many scary zombie dreams for the time. (a rewatch of the AMC series is not out of the question, however)
Where She Went, sequel I loved more than the original (If I Stay). Extreme circumstances at play (rockstars, tragic car accidents..), sure, but the drama reads like true life 20-something struggles. The novel gave me postpartum depression.
Lost Girls, those Victorian ponces, the Extraordinary Gentlemen, would be scandalized by this other work from Alan Moore. Fairytale heroines aside, this is erotica in its finest sense - no innocent childsplay here. Not offended, but not a thing I'd read in public.
3. Good things come in threes
Spring is here (sorta, like autumn with more brunch)! Summer's on the way! And, there are always Dr. Who screenings in the meantime.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Drifting Through My Open Mind
Thanks to a generous friend in the publishing industry, I scored an advanced copy of Beth Revis' Across the Universe last month. Unfortunately, I don't have a complete review prepared (I got side tracked by this killer zombie tale. More on that later.), but I can say that I can't wait to get through to the end.
Imagine you're me. If you've got your thinking cap on correctly, this means you appreciate stories with melancholic trappings, visual aides, and you spend considerable amounts of time denying your love of sci-fi/fantasy (then, eventually, giving in to Battlestar Galactica weekend marathons).
Lucky for me/your imagined me/us, this book seems to have it all. Girl frozen in intergalactic transit: check (bonus points if you're humming The Smiths right now). A map of the spaceship she's riding: check. Murder! Intrigue! In space!: check.
What could be better? Oh, I know. A book trailer narrated by my 90's idol, Lauren Ambrose!
Imagine you're me. If you've got your thinking cap on correctly, this means you appreciate stories with melancholic trappings, visual aides, and you spend considerable amounts of time denying your love of sci-fi/fantasy (then, eventually, giving in to Battlestar Galactica weekend marathons).
Lucky for me/your imagined me/us, this book seems to have it all. Girl frozen in intergalactic transit: check (bonus points if you're humming The Smiths right now). A map of the spaceship she's riding: check. Murder! Intrigue! In space!: check.
What could be better? Oh, I know. A book trailer narrated by my 90's idol, Lauren Ambrose!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Observing Protocol
so, last week i sped through Incarceron. maybe it was because i'd heard great things, maybe it was because i wanted to get the jump on the sure-to-be-sixpack-ified summer blockbuster (seriously. taylor lautner, he of the wolfy Twi-abs, has signed on to be our protag.)*, but i was anxious to get to the end. and i'm glad i did so quickly.
*disclaimer: this is to say, i wanted to read the book before the theatrical release and save myself from imagining his underage torso in every scene. but, now that i've described this motive, i can't help but picture it. blech.
set in the future within the confines of a living prison, Incarceron is dark, violent, and all the other things that parent groups are afraid we'll expose children to. and i have to say, i'm really digging this dystopic trend that's taken over YA. part of me thinks this low morale in YA is because prospects in the adult world look pretty bleak right now.
of course, i am a part of that adult world and probably not the most objective person on the matter. my perspective is such that, while reading this story about a queen who's tied her court to the conventions and punishments of a past Era, i could only think of the impenetrable librarian code.
now, let it be said that i am proud member of several librarian groups. i attend conferences, make local meet-and-greets, keep an active virtual presence, and volunteer within/create my community. i'm not saying that to toot my own horn, but to illustrate the fact that i'm not just sitting on my ass or cowering in the corner - i'm getting out there! nevertheless, i can't escape this feeling of... being rebuffed by my elders. case in point:
1) the polite inquiry
last spring i asked a professor for his recommendations on getting some pre-professional experience. its no secret that, with the shortage of paid positions, new librarians have to hustle their skills for free. that's fine by me so, when the prof threw out the name of a contact at a choice institution, i ran home and sent out an email. i kept it short and sweet cause i hate 'cold calls' too.
weeks went by and nothing.
then i spotted mr. colleague at a conference. i approached to give the elevator speech but got the brush off instead. ok, fine. he was busy.
a week after that, i got an announcement for an internship (what i had inquired about months before) in mr. colleague's institution, with all cv's sent to his attention.
truth: look, i'm not naive enough to think that upper-ups will drop what they're doing every time i have a question. but, fact is, professional courtesy doesn't just extend to mid-career professionals. in this case, a simple acknowledgment would have sufficed. and maybe my frustration with the whole library world is because of this slight. but that's because i've found this "do as i say, not as i do" attitude a bit too often.
2) the quizzical case of recruitment
when this young brown woman hears of "diversity recruitment" sessions, you can be sure she'll show up. even when the talks are aimed at established librarians, hr, and admissions, i take the time to go because knowing exactly what future employers want gives me a great advantage.
that said, the last time i sat in on one of these i walked away insulted, not informed. i love powerpoint presentations just as much as the next guy but i wanted to know where they were going with this hoopla. during q&a i asked what were specific goals of minority recruiting efforts these days and what could a recent grad do to smartly position themselves to be recruited when things pick up. i was hoping for more news about the future, and less rumination on the past. one panelists first answer? "well we're not hiring..." followed by some garble about the importance of diversity. no answer to any of my questions.
truth: i know no one can tell me how long this job crisis is going to go on for, but if you don't know what your goals are (ie. 15% increase in students of color by 20xx, more collections with minority focus, 2 more minority interest groups represented at the next meeting...) how can i, as a candidate, meet them? also, recent grads (ahem) are acutely aware of the ins and outs of this job market, no need for disparaging and patronizing remarks.
3) mentor-tormentor
of course, the worst professional failure to date: outreach programs with no follow through!
last august, i joined (read: spent a good chunk of change on memberships to) organizations with mentor programs. i signed up for those programs! i need all the advice i can get.
its february. i have yet to be assigned a contact. (the "thanks for joining" automated email does NOT count as contact)
truth: if it's important to professionals that i stay involved, then the participants/managers of these groups ought to meet me half way! there's so much talk about bringing us youngins under your wing, cultivating the next generation of librarians, but these orgs are starting to seem more like exclusive clubs, than inclusive groups. organizations can't be blamed for the tone certain individuals set (believe me, i have seen enough job protectiveness in the last year to last a lifetime), but if no one takes responsibility for how these groups function it will only be a matter of time before they don't.
silver lining
look, virtual meetings at ala! finally, evidence of the web connectivity we're always going on about.
needs work
this is list of groups through ala connect. how do i navigate that?
*disclaimer: this is to say, i wanted to read the book before the theatrical release and save myself from imagining his underage torso in every scene. but, now that i've described this motive, i can't help but picture it. blech.
set in the future within the confines of a living prison, Incarceron is dark, violent, and all the other things that parent groups are afraid we'll expose children to. and i have to say, i'm really digging this dystopic trend that's taken over YA. part of me thinks this low morale in YA is because prospects in the adult world look pretty bleak right now.
of course, i am a part of that adult world and probably not the most objective person on the matter. my perspective is such that, while reading this story about a queen who's tied her court to the conventions and punishments of a past Era, i could only think of the impenetrable librarian code.
now, let it be said that i am proud member of several librarian groups. i attend conferences, make local meet-and-greets, keep an active virtual presence, and volunteer within/create my community. i'm not saying that to toot my own horn, but to illustrate the fact that i'm not just sitting on my ass or cowering in the corner - i'm getting out there! nevertheless, i can't escape this feeling of... being rebuffed by my elders. case in point:
1) the polite inquiry
last spring i asked a professor for his recommendations on getting some pre-professional experience. its no secret that, with the shortage of paid positions, new librarians have to hustle their skills for free. that's fine by me so, when the prof threw out the name of a contact at a choice institution, i ran home and sent out an email. i kept it short and sweet cause i hate 'cold calls' too.
weeks went by and nothing.
then i spotted mr. colleague at a conference. i approached to give the elevator speech but got the brush off instead. ok, fine. he was busy.
a week after that, i got an announcement for an internship (what i had inquired about months before) in mr. colleague's institution, with all cv's sent to his attention.
truth: look, i'm not naive enough to think that upper-ups will drop what they're doing every time i have a question. but, fact is, professional courtesy doesn't just extend to mid-career professionals. in this case, a simple acknowledgment would have sufficed. and maybe my frustration with the whole library world is because of this slight. but that's because i've found this "do as i say, not as i do" attitude a bit too often.
2) the quizzical case of recruitment
when this young brown woman hears of "diversity recruitment" sessions, you can be sure she'll show up. even when the talks are aimed at established librarians, hr, and admissions, i take the time to go because knowing exactly what future employers want gives me a great advantage.
that said, the last time i sat in on one of these i walked away insulted, not informed. i love powerpoint presentations just as much as the next guy but i wanted to know where they were going with this hoopla. during q&a i asked what were specific goals of minority recruiting efforts these days and what could a recent grad do to smartly position themselves to be recruited when things pick up. i was hoping for more news about the future, and less rumination on the past. one panelists first answer? "well we're not hiring..." followed by some garble about the importance of diversity. no answer to any of my questions.
truth: i know no one can tell me how long this job crisis is going to go on for, but if you don't know what your goals are (ie. 15% increase in students of color by 20xx, more collections with minority focus, 2 more minority interest groups represented at the next meeting...) how can i, as a candidate, meet them? also, recent grads (ahem) are acutely aware of the ins and outs of this job market, no need for disparaging and patronizing remarks.
3) mentor-tormentor
of course, the worst professional failure to date: outreach programs with no follow through!
last august, i joined (read: spent a good chunk of change on memberships to) organizations with mentor programs. i signed up for those programs! i need all the advice i can get.
its february. i have yet to be assigned a contact. (the "thanks for joining" automated email does NOT count as contact)
truth: if it's important to professionals that i stay involved, then the participants/managers of these groups ought to meet me half way! there's so much talk about bringing us youngins under your wing, cultivating the next generation of librarians, but these orgs are starting to seem more like exclusive clubs, than inclusive groups. organizations can't be blamed for the tone certain individuals set (believe me, i have seen enough job protectiveness in the last year to last a lifetime), but if no one takes responsibility for how these groups function it will only be a matter of time before they don't.
silver lining
look, virtual meetings at ala! finally, evidence of the web connectivity we're always going on about.
needs work
this is list of groups through ala connect. how do i navigate that?
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Quip Pics
sometimes spreadsheets and powerpoints aren't enough for me, you know? as much as i love the usual infographics, i think even simple clip art is trying to tell us something. back in 2006, i experimented with a little 'truth in clip art' presentation. it seemed to go over well, so i came back for more a couple of weeks ago.
i hope i don't ruin microsoft for you.
i hope i don't ruin microsoft for you.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
more than one way to Skin a cast
when word got out last week that a buffy feature was going ahead without joss whedon at the helm, joss had a couple of words on the subject. his response was honest, and cynical, and witty - all the things you would expect of him. and, while i'm incredibly miffed that this project is happening (as is the rest of the internet, it seems), i was so impressed with his tiny takedown of the hollywood machine that i forgot to be angry for a moment.
"feeding off the carcasses of beloved stories", as he puts it, is nothing new. but it doesn't feel like things are even given enough time to decay or disappear from the pop cultural conscience anymore. case in point: Skins.
not a beloved story exactly, but this british tv series only premiered in 2007 with two really amazing seasons, another two fairly good seasons with a second-generation cast followed, and a third generation for season 5 was just announced in august.
this show is alive and well in the uk (with a substantial american following), not long dead and buried, which used to be the prereq for a reboot. nevertheless, mtv's decided an almost shot-for-shot remake is what america needs right now.
now, i'm not a purest - some of my favorite shows have been reboots (battlestar gallactica), revamps (baz luhrman's r + j), pastiches (every campy minute of BtVS), etc. what i am, however, is someone who believes reviving something before it's dead is a big waste of time. and, in the case of Skins, the disappointment comes from knowing that the version american audiences will settle for will be a dressed up, watered down half hour of tv.
the genius of Skins was showing kids (not near 30 year-old actors) do and say the things you know they shouldn't (but really do anyway). sanitizing the on-screen drug use and sex, replacing normal looking teens with impossibly attractive cast members... this is only going to make the Skins reboot mtv's undressed, part 2. and, really, what's the point? the grit of the uk Skins didn't insult my (read: the teenager inside me) intelligence. but, you know, that's something mtv lives to do these days (i'm looking at you, jersey shore).
as long as these easy-bake remakes make advertising dollars, there's really no stopping the studios from popping them out. but i will say this, if i could get paid for turning in my co-worker's project, i guess i wouldn't be too picky about the quality of the copy either.
"feeding off the carcasses of beloved stories", as he puts it, is nothing new. but it doesn't feel like things are even given enough time to decay or disappear from the pop cultural conscience anymore. case in point: Skins.
uk cast, 2007
not a beloved story exactly, but this british tv series only premiered in 2007 with two really amazing seasons, another two fairly good seasons with a second-generation cast followed, and a third generation for season 5 was just announced in august.
us cast, 2010
this show is alive and well in the uk (with a substantial american following), not long dead and buried, which used to be the prereq for a reboot. nevertheless, mtv's decided an almost shot-for-shot remake is what america needs right now.
now, i'm not a purest - some of my favorite shows have been reboots (battlestar gallactica), revamps (baz luhrman's r + j), pastiches (every campy minute of BtVS), etc. what i am, however, is someone who believes reviving something before it's dead is a big waste of time. and, in the case of Skins, the disappointment comes from knowing that the version american audiences will settle for will be a dressed up, watered down half hour of tv.
the genius of Skins was showing kids (not near 30 year-old actors) do and say the things you know they shouldn't (but really do anyway). sanitizing the on-screen drug use and sex, replacing normal looking teens with impossibly attractive cast members... this is only going to make the Skins reboot mtv's undressed, part 2. and, really, what's the point? the grit of the uk Skins didn't insult my (read: the teenager inside me) intelligence. but, you know, that's something mtv lives to do these days (i'm looking at you, jersey shore).
as long as these easy-bake remakes make advertising dollars, there's really no stopping the studios from popping them out. but i will say this, if i could get paid for turning in my co-worker's project, i guess i wouldn't be too picky about the quality of the copy either.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Buffyverse Chronology
seriously... i wasn't kidding about how much i like making charts. like most ridiculous things i do, this started as a joke. but, after a couple of Buffy/Angel marathons with friends, it actually became a handy reference for all the flashbacks/flashforwards in the series.
yes, i'm compulsively dorky, but ive spared you all the whiny Buffy. skip ahead to Fool for Love (Buffy s5e07) and thank me later.
i'm nothing if not servicey.
click to enlarge
yes, i'm compulsively dorky, but ive spared you all the whiny Buffy. skip ahead to Fool for Love (Buffy s5e07) and thank me later.
i'm nothing if not servicey.
click to enlarge
making my point. my POWER point.
i've always said that i am a visual person. and i've always known myself to be...fact-oriented (read: anal retentive). hence the whole librarian thing, you know? i'm sure if i were in an interview i would highlight these things about myself. of course, i'd probably leave out the fact that i like to chart the details of my personal life in powerpoints. seems a bit weirdo-creepy-loner, non? undecided? observe:
in which i powerpoint my friend
in which i powerpoint my friend
so there you have it. i bet you feel like you know lucy a little better now, don't you? you probably know me better now, too.
Monday, November 29, 2010
i was a teenage alien
you ever go to the library and check out more books than you have time for? i do. all the time. if books were food you might say my eyes are bigger than my stomach. but i just can't help it. i can't resist the siren call of brightly colored ya in crinkly library cellophane.
that said, i took out I Am Number Four a month ago and didn't devour it on time. it didn't seem like much of a loss then, but i should have realized my mistake - my copy couldn't be renewed because of the dozens of people on the wait list. my suspicion is that things this high in demand must be good. um, i know i've been wrong with that line of thinking before (ahem, twilight, ahem) but i'm still gonna go with the thought.
i'm intrigued because the story centers on a teen alien on the run. and, let's face it, my teenage soul has felt more than a little empty since Roswell went off the air (note: telling people you watched the show for guest appearances of the ever-hip rock n' roller john doe does not get you any cool points. it only confuses fellow geeks). but i've stayed away because this sounds suspiciously like the plot of twinklevamp typer's (Ms. Meyer) The Host (a much better story than the one that made her famous, but not something i'd care to read again).
i'm intrigued because the story centers on a teen alien on the run. and, let's face it, my teenage soul has felt more than a little empty since Roswell went off the air (note: telling people you watched the show for guest appearances of the ever-hip rock n' roller john doe does not get you any cool points. it only confuses fellow geeks). but i've stayed away because this sounds suspiciously like the plot of twinklevamp typer's (Ms. Meyer) The Host (a much better story than the one that made her famous, but not something i'd care to read again).
but, hey, i'm lazy and have let the internet settle the to-read-or-not-to-read debate. and guess what? that was a good decision! the trailer for I Am Number Four has got some pizazz! it's also got Glee's Dianna Agron. not too shabby, not too shabby at all. the only thing that might make this better is if she gets a doo-wop/hip-hop mash up to sing between moments of extra-terrestrial terror.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
blast from the past
long time no type. my apologies. it's been a busy few months here full of plenty of tv on dvd (the wire!), ya reads (5 in one week!) and christmas club 2010. but, you have my undivided attention now. and, hopefully, i've got yours. because, just as i've returned from a long hiatus so have a few friends of mine. dear readers, let me re-introduce you to eric balfour and donald faison, whom you may remember from, you know, the 90's.
now, if the trailer is supposed to be the best 2 minutes of the feature then... i just feel bad for these boys. they've put in their dues (adult braces? **can't hardly wait's hippie dude #1?), seen success and now...they're just paying the rent. but hey, who am i to rain on their alien parade.
**what are the chances of another 90's teen star vehicle? cant facinelli take a break from being papa sparklepants and join the crew for one more go around? and here's a terrifying thought, if they updated can't hardly wait, i'd have no idea who anyone was.
now, if the trailer is supposed to be the best 2 minutes of the feature then... i just feel bad for these boys. they've put in their dues (adult braces? **can't hardly wait's hippie dude #1?), seen success and now...they're just paying the rent. but hey, who am i to rain on their alien parade.
**what are the chances of another 90's teen star vehicle? cant facinelli take a break from being papa sparklepants and join the crew for one more go around? and here's a terrifying thought, if they updated can't hardly wait, i'd have no idea who anyone was.
Monday, August 9, 2010
someday...this tv movie will be iconic
dearest reader, you were wrong. it can - and has! - been done again. this time, the appropriately named marcia gay harden, will appear as mother-of-the-teen in the book-to-film translation of someday this pain will be useful to you, a story about my favorite kind of disaffected youth - the gay new york socialite.
in all seriousness, of the ya in the last few years, this novel managed to really capture the tone of a not-quite-adult. nothing is ever right for james sveck, son of an inattentive mother and arrogant father. the walls of his well-heeled world (brown university, manhattan's upper east side...) are closing in on him and it's everyone else's fault but his. he's a completely unlikable hero to be sure, but a smart ass who keeps you in on the joke (ie.: see how much everyone sucks?)
his tiny "tragedies" made for one great read and i can't wait for them to bring the drama to the small screen.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A Scott Pilgrim Squee
6 reasons to love the scott pilgrim series
1) a mashup any fanboi would be proud of
imagine you read comics. imagine you have a soft spot in your heart for old-school gaming consoles. imagine the joy of discovering scott pilgrim 1up and turn a foe into a pile of coins. sure, its completely out of left field, but so was the time/space travel and the evil exes. if you dont find the retro reference thrilling, you have no soul. or you were never 12.
2) eisner award winning
eisner's are the oscars of the comic world and volume 5 just took home the trophy for best humor publication...ya' damn right!
canadians are just like us. they eat burritos, trash talk their ex-girl friends over beers (molson ice?), and get asymmetrical hipster haircuts. scott is even in a shitty band. nevermind the fact he plays a rickenbacker 4003fl (per the movie poster. that's 3 grand worth of bass my friend.), with a name like Sex Bob-Omb you know they cant be good. point is, they're taking notes of our trends. last time i was in ontario, 20-somethings asked if i lived in the part of brooklyn known as williamsburg... beware of our neighbors to the north.
4) movie to feature battle between george michael and anne (...who?)
not all of ramona's exes are dudes. like most self-respecting hipster hotties, she had an experimental phase. what does that mean for us? we get to see scott get a beat down from a girl, before he explodes her into tiny woodland creatures (sonic the hedgehog style) in the comic. in the movie, my favorite loud-mouthed half-ninja is played by mae whitman, formerly the pious cutie on arrested development. the lesson here: date outside your social circle. no one wants to share an ex with their current.5) with friends like these...
sure, scott's got seven evil enemies, but you know what he doesn't have? friends who pity him. it's probably not easy living under the constant threat of attack, but it's most definitely not easy being the shoulder he wimpers on. scott's friends think he's a pussy and dont hold back telling him "if your life had a face, i would punch it in the face."speaking the truth, that's how you know your friends love you.
6) well received in some circles
the back cover of the last scott pilgrim installment has a single quote that may define this series' place in comic history. when joss whedon says, "scott pilgrim is the best book ever. it is the chronicle of our time. with kung fu, so, yeah: perfect." you just listen. he is the jesus of pop culture and everything that man says is gold. case closed.
so... you and me, movie date, august 13th?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
crazy, but true
movieland has run out of original stories. yeah, ok, you get that. i know. but seriously, take a look at the movies out these days. on the summer roster of apx. 125 movies, about 30 are remakes, sequels, or stories cribbed from another source (best sellers, classics, comics...). studios have been quick to finance flashy stories with little to no plot, (comics in particular. i'm betting is has something to do with the fancy cars and explosions) and lately there have been a lot of uninspired flops. Jonah Hex, anyone?
that said, there is one book-to-movie conversion i'm super psyched about.
It's Kind of a Funny Story
but i digress.
the book that started that interrogation was Tales of the Madman Underground - another story about crazy kids, sure, but ones with extraordinary circumstances that make them so. Ned Vizzini's It's Kind of a Funny Story, on the other hand, is so charming exactly because its narrator, Craig, suffers from a kind of crazy that's just...so...normal.
he's 15 (stressful enough), enrolled in a super competitive high school (kids these days! start their testing from pre-K), can't seem to have a successful personal relationship (anti-psychotics and their side effects), and has a habit of fixating on small worries, turning them into giant panic attacks about the future fate of the world. at almost twice his age, i feel like i've got the same problems. without the suicidal thoughts, of course, which is why Craig checks himself into a mental health clinic. hilarity ensues and lessons are learned when a hospital remodeling forces Craig into the adult psych ward.
so, a tiny list of reasons why you should see this movie...
1. downtrodden, but likeable hero, trying to answer the big questions in life
2. slightly less silly (read: more approachable) zach galifianakis (i totally spelled that without double checking)
3. daniel faraday! in a hat!
4. carefully selected indie soundtrack for maximum emotional punch
now that you're convinced, go watch the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_pq7HKc9z8
it's like christmas morn in the movie theatres. the only thing that could make the awesome adaptation any better is if it was a double feature with John Green's Paper Towns (have i mentioned my soft spot for disaffected youth?). but since that's not due to happen any time soon, i'll settle for another promising adaptation involving canadian humour (note the extra "u"), video game metaphors, and michael cera.
Stay tuned for: A Scott Pilgrim Squee
that said, there is one book-to-movie conversion i'm super psyched about.
It's Kind of a Funny Story
there was this one time some dude asked me what i was reading while i was waiting for my bus. i said, "a book about high school students". he nodded and then asked, "do you like it?" which seemed like a dumb question at the time. i usually read books that i like. unless theyre homework. and this wasnt homework. despite my eyeroll, he continued. "do you identify with the characters?" i shrugged. not because the answer to the question was "no", but because this stranger was awfully forward. he was starting to creep me out, but the bus was pulling up to that curb any minute and its not like i could blow him off by walking away. i went back to reading. he went back to not getting the hint. one more question: "now, what grade are you in?" if i had only known he was after pretty young things, i would have told him i just finished grad school at the start of the weird exchange. instead i killed the conversation right there.
but i digress.
the book that started that interrogation was Tales of the Madman Underground - another story about crazy kids, sure, but ones with extraordinary circumstances that make them so. Ned Vizzini's It's Kind of a Funny Story, on the other hand, is so charming exactly because its narrator, Craig, suffers from a kind of crazy that's just...so...normal.
he's 15 (stressful enough), enrolled in a super competitive high school (kids these days! start their testing from pre-K), can't seem to have a successful personal relationship (anti-psychotics and their side effects), and has a habit of fixating on small worries, turning them into giant panic attacks about the future fate of the world. at almost twice his age, i feel like i've got the same problems. without the suicidal thoughts, of course, which is why Craig checks himself into a mental health clinic. hilarity ensues and lessons are learned when a hospital remodeling forces Craig into the adult psych ward.
so, a tiny list of reasons why you should see this movie...
1. downtrodden, but likeable hero, trying to answer the big questions in life
2. slightly less silly (read: more approachable) zach galifianakis (i totally spelled that without double checking)
3. daniel faraday! in a hat!
4. carefully selected indie soundtrack for maximum emotional punch
now that you're convinced, go watch the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_pq7HKc9z8
it's like christmas morn in the movie theatres. the only thing that could make the awesome adaptation any better is if it was a double feature with John Green's Paper Towns (have i mentioned my soft spot for disaffected youth?). but since that's not due to happen any time soon, i'll settle for another promising adaptation involving canadian humour (note the extra "u"), video game metaphors, and michael cera.
Stay tuned for: A Scott Pilgrim Squee
EDIT: this John Green promo on the amazon site is high-larious.
Friday, July 2, 2010
twee tv OR how i learned to love books on the screen
a full (and last) semester of library sciencing under my belt, i now return to tv blog you silly. i know you've missed me terribly, so what do you say we just dive right in? good? great!
having the grace and good luck that i do, i've chosen the most inauspicious time to pop back to pop culture. the ominous atmospheric change of which i speak...twilight. now i could, like many people who have the good sense to do so, mercilessly mock the franchise, but what else could add to the conversation that hasn't already been said? take downs of creepy merch, creepy fan-mades, and the creepy fans themselves are everywhere and i don't love the series enough to justify talking about it all the time.
instead, let me spend some time talking about things i do like - namely, YA, tv, and YA on the tv. it will be funnier, and it won't make me hate life as much.
so, dear followers, let's travel to a place, far off in the internet where the hair is big, the emotions are bigger and the banter campy. that place, gentle readers, is a land called "made for tv movies". as we wander, take a look around. who's that you see? valerie bertinelli and marcia gay harden?! crying about teenage pregnancy, cancer, and low self esteem?! oh well, then we must be nearing the village of "lifetime television for women". moving along. as we continue our tour, you can - wait! kristen stewart? is that you?! i thought we left your ass back in "teenage sparklemopey mumbleville". oh, i get it. you're here as a representative of tv-cum-YA novels. fine. you can stay and listen to me. but only if you shut up and sit in the back.
Speak
once upon a time, a sullen suburban teen kept a secret. ever since her encounter with the pervy undead jock at that party on the twinkling meadow farm, she hadn't been the same. withdrawing from friends, increased clumsiness, and an appetite for woodland creatures self-destruction, mark this tale of female frailty empowerment.
no, seriously, laurie halse anderson writes some pretty fantastic books. the tv version may smack of lifetime's "not my daughter" aesthetic (elizabeth perkins takes a very un-"weeds" turn as a concerned mother; kristen underwhelms us with her mumblecore method of acting), but nothing satisfies me more than a problem novel brought to life.
Don't Die My Love
Rats Saw God
author rob thomas (no, not that one), takes the familiar loner and makes him something more than a two dimensional place holder carried along by flimsy plot devices (i'm looking at you, lurlene). scott york may be a total loser (socially retarded, failing class, king of unrequited love. he really can't get anything right.), but he's the kind of loser i'd want for a best friend. wherever he is, i hope scott's doing alright these days...
now, while this novel was never officially turned into a television screenplay, it's a literary sibling to one of the best shows no longer on tv - veronica mars. vm was born out of a novel rob thomas (no, not that one) never published. read a few diary entries in rats saw god, listen to a few voice overs on vm... you'll start to see the two loners as one in the same. in fact, veronica is so similar to scott, thomas first imagined her as a him. but, knowing better, rob added some girl power into the script.
oh, and more proof they come from the same world: s1e6 features veronica mars getting duped by a smart-mouthed wild child. her name? dub varner.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
the black man has no name! THE BLACK MAN HAS NO NAME!
white people are in trouble! oh no! call....
THE HAITIAN
wait, what?
you know, for as far as entertainment has come, sometimes it's just appallingly behind the curve. i'm sorry to say, nbc's hit supernatural drama heroes is a grade a example of what happens when staff writers become a bit negligent of 200 YEARS OF STEREOTYPES!
let's explore:
for those of you who are not familiar with the show (under a rock much?), heroes is an ensemble drama about people with special abilities living in secret (for the most part) while trying to avoid baddies - the government, creepy siblings and parents, villains (naturally), etc. most are given run-of-the-mill powers: flying, telepathy, super speed...nothing marvel hasn't done to death. however, our man of the hour here (see above, looking all pensive and sexy) is a bit of a wet blanket for the supernaturally inclined. if you're used to defying the time-space continuum with your fancy time traveling powers, standing within 20 feet of the haitian (henceforth known as THE HAITIAN. he's getting his due respect in CAPS, bitches.) will keep you in the present moment. the plug is pulled on your power, like that.
it's no surprise then, that THE HAITIAN would come in handy when dealing with, say, a sociopath intent on murdering you with his thoughts. i'd like to keep THE HAITIAN close, too. however, these white people (former employers, still proving very needy) keep telling him where to be and what to do. nevermind the fact that he quit "the company" two years ago. nevermind the fact that he really didn't have a choice about taking that job in the first place ("work with us, or we ruin your life"). this man has been doing their bidding for at least two decades, and they can't be bothered to CALL HIM BY HIS NAME?! in fact, after four years of broadcasting, we only learned his name LAST WEEK (it's Rene, by the way). maybe someone in the writer's room finally clued in to the fact that when you put a nearly silent black man (he didn't utter a word until halfway through the first season) on the screen who exists only to take orders from the bourgeois...you're only a hop skip and a jump away from some of these famous predecessors.
mammy
a black person to cure all them white folks' problems. it doesn't matter whether youse having a baby or are being threatened by some telekinetic freak, if you got a mammy you'll be fat and happy soon.sambo
you know, just the other day, i saw THE HAITIAN lounging under a tree taming some wild animals and i thought, "you know what that man needs? A JOB." so i put him to work for some secretive, ethically dubious corporation. he hasn't had a day off since.the magical negro
he's black. he makes magical things happen. you know, cause when you're from the deep forests of some primal nation, that sorta stuff just comes easy to you.
UPDATE: honorable mention to tv's other favorite semi-silent, magical negro of recent years, mr. ___ eko. not like we know his first name either.
a sensitive aside: Jimmy Jean-Louis, the actor who portrays RENE, is actually Haitian. now didn't that just get all meta for you?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
in tv land...everyone is qualified to be a guidance counselor
for all intents and purposes, i'm in a committed relationship with my television. i see it regularly. rearrange existing dates to accommodate its schedule. spend the morning after thinking "i wonder what he meant when he said that last night." etc. etc. the same is true for the little people inside the box. after all the hours i spend with them, through the good and bad, i want the best for them. so, of course, i'm happy when they succeed, regardless of the circumstances. but i can only make certain concessions to a point. i realize going around poking holes in the logic of a fictional world is really a waste of time...but somebody must. right?
as an aspiring librarian, the question i hate the most (yet, have to answer with an alarming frequency) is "oh, you have to go to school for that?". if i, lowly custodian of rare volumes, have to spend 2 years and thousands of dollars learning how to handle the goods, shouldn't someone charged with handling the education and mental health of minors be required to sit in on a night class or two?
so, gentle readers, let us now take this moment to acknowledge the absurdity of "the tv guidance counselor".
according to some fancy pants national association, the minimum amount of training a person must endure is a Masters degree in either Psychology or Education and a 240 on the "152 TExES School Counselor Exam". out of a possible 300. maybe more depending on your state. so, the next time your favorite tv show nominates the town wacko to tell Cast Member A to "pick a safety", i want to see that the props department has done the same for our star.
K.I.T. : a look at the greats
Emma Pillsbury
she wears sweater sets. she's afraid of germs. you win some, you lose some, right? far be it for me to accuse her of being anything other than fastidious (she probably got a gold star in student teaching), but i'm just concerned. her danny tanner-like need for clean must inhibit her ability to dispense relevant advice (does anyone else see the pamphlet behind her desk? "Radon: the silent killer"). also, teenagers are dirty. i think she needs a guidance counselor to help her choose a new career path.
Jeff Rosso
hippie with a heart of gold. this is the man you went to when you wanted some straight talk with a side of reminiscing. he was just as likely to solve your problem as he was to sing you a song. or tell you about his personal conflicts with bullies. or herpes. and, sure, that crosses a line that would make most schools fear lawsuit, but rosso just wouldn't let the man (in this case, a very necessary educational bureaucracy) get him down.
Buffy Summers
Buffy Anne Summers. she saved the world. a lot. apparently that's all the recommendation the administration over at sunny dale high needed before hiring our favorite vampire slayer. now, impending apocalypse aside, i think it's wise to point out that buffy can have some serious, uh, blonde moments. and, if her taste in men is anything to go by, she's not exactly a champion good decision maker. buffy pro's: she'll keep you from dying. buffy con's: attrocious grammar, dropped out of college, may still be suffering from some latent ptsd from that time she was dead. and, oh yeah, a student did actually die on her first day on the job.
Tami Taylor
my biggest problem with friday night lights may very well be that i forget this show is fiction. of course, that may have more to do with my abiding love for one adorable QB1 than with the show's content, but my point remains. all those docu drama angles and that improvised dialogue, it just seems like they are going out of their way to fool me. that said, they blew their verisimilitude to pieces when they promoted tami taylor from mrs. coach to school administrator. i've been told they do things differently in texas, i just wasn't aware that included allowing uncertified nice ladies to coach afterschool sports, advise town bimbos on college apps and rezone school districts. i mean, if that's the case, i may start practicing law in dillon. (my first action: prove that all "saracens" are constitutionaly obligated to marry me at my discretion.)
as an aspiring librarian, the question i hate the most (yet, have to answer with an alarming frequency) is "oh, you have to go to school for that?". if i, lowly custodian of rare volumes, have to spend 2 years and thousands of dollars learning how to handle the goods, shouldn't someone charged with handling the education and mental health of minors be required to sit in on a night class or two?
so, gentle readers, let us now take this moment to acknowledge the absurdity of "the tv guidance counselor".
according to some fancy pants national association, the minimum amount of training a person must endure is a Masters degree in either Psychology or Education and a 240 on the "152 TExES School Counselor Exam". out of a possible 300. maybe more depending on your state. so, the next time your favorite tv show nominates the town wacko to tell Cast Member A to "pick a safety", i want to see that the props department has done the same for our star.
K.I.T. : a look at the greats
Emma Pillsburyshe wears sweater sets. she's afraid of germs. you win some, you lose some, right? far be it for me to accuse her of being anything other than fastidious (she probably got a gold star in student teaching), but i'm just concerned. her danny tanner-like need for clean must inhibit her ability to dispense relevant advice (does anyone else see the pamphlet behind her desk? "Radon: the silent killer"). also, teenagers are dirty. i think she needs a guidance counselor to help her choose a new career path.
Jeff Rossohippie with a heart of gold. this is the man you went to when you wanted some straight talk with a side of reminiscing. he was just as likely to solve your problem as he was to sing you a song. or tell you about his personal conflicts with bullies. or herpes. and, sure, that crosses a line that would make most schools fear lawsuit, but rosso just wouldn't let the man (in this case, a very necessary educational bureaucracy) get him down.
Buffy SummersBuffy Anne Summers. she saved the world. a lot. apparently that's all the recommendation the administration over at sunny dale high needed before hiring our favorite vampire slayer. now, impending apocalypse aside, i think it's wise to point out that buffy can have some serious, uh, blonde moments. and, if her taste in men is anything to go by, she's not exactly a champion good decision maker. buffy pro's: she'll keep you from dying. buffy con's: attrocious grammar, dropped out of college, may still be suffering from some latent ptsd from that time she was dead. and, oh yeah, a student did actually die on her first day on the job.
Tami Taylormy biggest problem with friday night lights may very well be that i forget this show is fiction. of course, that may have more to do with my abiding love for one adorable QB1 than with the show's content, but my point remains. all those docu drama angles and that improvised dialogue, it just seems like they are going out of their way to fool me. that said, they blew their verisimilitude to pieces when they promoted tami taylor from mrs. coach to school administrator. i've been told they do things differently in texas, i just wasn't aware that included allowing uncertified nice ladies to coach afterschool sports, advise town bimbos on college apps and rezone school districts. i mean, if that's the case, i may start practicing law in dillon. (my first action: prove that all "saracens" are constitutionaly obligated to marry me at my discretion.)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
why i watch gossip girl OR a meditation on Ho Yay!
hello. my name is nicole. and it's been 36 hours since my last hit of gossip girl.
i. am. addicted?
step one is admitting you have a problem. i am, clearly not ready to do that. what i am ready for, however, is admitting that i share the taste of 2.24 million teenage girls across the nation. but, hey, that's not really news.
GG justifications i've used in the past:
1. "you know how i am with series premieres." if i catch the first episode, i'm in it for the long haul. call it a strong work ethic, my sticktoittiveness, or my sheer stubbornness (i will not let mediocre television get the best of me!)
2. "it just doesn't understand Camp." a smart lady once said, "Pure Camp is always naive. Camp which knows itself to be Camp is usually less satisfying." i once replied, "ain't that the motherfucking truth." the monday night bitchery that is GG may succeed in it's over the topness, but if i want 'wink wink nudge nudge' irony i'll go hang out bedford ave. GG never rises above being "less satisfying" than the Grande Dame of all naive teen programming: Beverly Hills 90210 (1.0, thank you very much). now that was a show completely oblivious of its PSA-style transgressions. in one decade they managed to burn, mug, rape, kidnap, shoot, induce amnesia and miscarriage, cult up and coke up a single cast member. all with a happy moral at the end of each story arc. sorry to say, there isn't enough lavender in chuck bass' wardrobe to compete with that theatre of the absurd.
which brings me to my next point...
3. "they're just stringing me along with all that HoYAY!" chuck, patron saint of bad deeds and dandies, needs to lay off the purple. and the exchange of bedroom eyes with his bestie, nate. unless he means it. and he always means it. you wanna know why? well, because he's chuck bass.
observe:
martini's at a pool party? chuck's trying to make a statement and it's not "i'm a suburban wife with 2 toddlers." also, i'm pretty sure "casual touch" ranks high in some 'girls guide to snagging her guy' manual. smooth move, nate.
when i was a little girl, i thought prince charming would come and whisk me away from all of my worldly troubles. seems chuck's had the same fantasy. note: nate's "i can't deal with you when you get like this. can we talk when we get home later?" look. (to non-viewers: they do, indeed, live in domestic bliss. though i'm sure CW execs would call it a "totally male heterosexual city dwelling.")
there is something queer about this scene. ahem, sartorially speaking. red pants, green socks, purple ascot! it's all a bit...off. this unsettling feeling, of course, has nothing to do with, say, chuck's seductive pose or nate's crotchward gaze. no, noo! not at all...
"you say something. he turns and flashes a coy smile in another direction, looking like he's contemplating something big. there's a pause. your eyes meet and, before you know it, you're being drawn in for the big moment, like you were some twinkling star in his orbit. will your world's collide? you should slow down, put a hand out to stop you from your fall. but now that hand is there and grasping. 'this purple suit's gonna get wrinkled,' you think, surprised at how little you actually care."
and with that, i just became nate's favorite erotic fiction writer.
media studies...of a different kind
extra credit? not quite. just turning a new technological leaf this november.
the posts from jan to may were all about what academia has to say about (cue heralding trumpets) "information technologies". but enough with the book learning. im about to school (and be schooled) you on tv.
for this very special occasion i'd like to regale you with a tune i composed. it's written in the key of "i watch too much tv and am concerned that is stunting the growth of my interpersonal skills." little matty saracen was my muse. please enjoy this in an ironic fashion and try not to pity me too much.
(in the style of jenny lewis)
the aftertaste of lonely
take out for two
except on of them is you
tv lights flicker
and i am made sicker
by the feeling
of being
alone
her love isn't so provisional
it's just mine that's televisional
and, oh, i should get out more
but i know i'm such a bore
the real world
dont treat me
so well
(catchy blue grass hook here)
chorus:
do you think there are others
with two dimensional lovers
and those
they would consider
friends
is it fine to feel so homey
instead of just only
creating plots
as means
to my own ends
but i'll have one more sip
and i swear i will quit
this relationship
i've built in my head
i need a new flavor
one i can savor
i'm sick of just only
this aftertaste of lonely
if there's one thing the internet has been missing, it's my opinion. so, let's begin.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Fin
it's the end of the semester already. part of me is completely surprised and the other (sleep-deprived) part of me has been counting down the minutes to this day. all parts of me, however, have been taking stock of the classes i've had this semester, weighing the good against the bad and wondering what i would do better/again.
of the three classes i had in the last 5 months, i definitely wished they had all been like this one. a necessary evil of the last semester has been finishing up the required classes and, while i've learned a lot in each of them, i feel like i never got to escape that dreaded banking method. learn this resource, the fields in this standard, etc. etc... you know, i pretty much blame this for my lack of sleep (what can i say? dewey keeps me up at night.) thankfully, 680 did not fit that structure. there was so much room for exploration, both in reading contemporary and classic texts and duking it out with their authors in class (i will continue to hold a grudge against postman). and, unlike most of my other classes to date, there was such a process of colaborative learning here! i tease out an idea, jessica rephrases because i just spoke gibberish in class, a classmate responds with an anecdote that really illustrates the point i was trying to make...*sigh * what a great learning experience.
speaking of anecdotes, here's one that illustrates exactly the opposite of the 680 educational lovefest.
prof.: can anyone name anything that seems like it should be included in this list? i will take any answer. just volunteer something aloud.
me: how about [answer]?
prof.: no. that's not right.
always a definitive idea of right and a wrong! no shades of grey. just memorize and spit out answers. those answers, that banked info, only sticks in my brain for so long. to the contrary, i can remember exactly who i stood between when we arranged ourselves in the "agree/disagree" exercise re: postman's statements.
so, thanks instructional technologies for moving me out of my comfort zone and teaching me that old dogs can have fun with new tricks. thanks classmates for remembering my blog posts and mentioning them in class, making me feel like i actually contributed something of value. and thanks jessica for being so attentive and willing to depart from the norm. that has made you a truly great professor (and will make you a great mom, too!)
see you guys, to borrow a phrase from emily, IRL (in real life).
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