judges?

I think I'm allergic to Modal. This is exciting to me because I don't have any other allergies. I mean it's not GREAT but I....I dunno. I'm gonna prize it. I need to run a few more tests...but I SHO NUFF is itchy. Itchiban!

St Pierre

I'm watching some old oldie episode of the Simpsons....it's a different show, in a lot of ways. But um there were two different lil scenes in the opening montage which..I like. I feel like I'm witnessing history is what I said out loud.

Earlier today I spent the better part of an hour listening to an informal concert. I enjoyed it wonderfully. ..I should probably tell them that....

After that there was an hour or two of a light dinner and somewhat awkward conversation with the musicians' family members.
After that there was some rando jamming and then the introduction of one of the most ghetto 70s-hoppin electric organs I have ever met.
After that I was asked to dissect some music. It was a unique experience (always is) talking to one person who is presently learning the rudiments of music theory, one who has studied SOME music theory two years ago and one who did Grade 1 RCM Theory ten years ago. The last one was the one who asked me to dissect. The first one took it all in quietly. The middle thoroughly impressed me with how quickly he picked up what I was saying and slipped into the lingo. He asked about the note which is half way between the 4 and 5. I said it was an augmented fourth and he didn't look like he believed me. He said there was another name for it and I wanted to say 'diminished fifth' but I knew that wasn't what he was looking for. I thought about it a little longer and then offered, "Tritone?" "Yeah!" he exclaimed. Then he told the guitarist that's what he was looking for...by way of an example, he mentioned the opening of the Simpson's theme. I distinctly remember turning to my student and pointing back incredulous, "Holy crap!" It's not a big deal, really but I was impressed that he knew exactly what interval he was looking for and that he could pull up an example so quickly.
He also found a ii-V-I when I had overlooked it, thinking there was only a V-I, not knowing what to do with the preceding chord. (I forgot it was minor and not major....but that he picked up on it...wow.) There was some other random moment in which he told the guitarist that what he was looking for was a IV....it came out so off-handed and non-chalant...I couldn't believe it. I consider my mind officially boggled.

the time has finally come. :)

Ten Things I like about Miss Becky Mitts

1) She's friggin loud.

2) She is UNBELIEVABLY LOUD and boisterous sometimes.
3) She was/is obsessed with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and has its soundtrack memorized, as do I.
4) She indirectly challenges me in the area of sharing information (not gossip stuff but personal stuff).
5) Whenever she sings she's (a) all there and (b) almost Broadway-ish.
6) Bi-way.
7) She can be a flippin workhorse when it came to school work and all-nighters.
8) She has left a sort of legacy at the U of G. I look at the girls who are her spiritual decendants and I can only wowwowwowwowwow.
9) She has moments of transparency that seem to surprize even herself sometimes.
10) She called me back once.
ONCE.
11) She makes me feel very valued and enjoyed and l-loved and I couldn't tell you exactly how. It just kinda happens.
12) I like the way she makes other cool people laugh.
13) She gets the Gospezillio and seems to have pretty hard-corely devoted her life to it....but for her it's almost like it wasn't a decision or like there were ever any other options. It just kinda is.
14) She's stronger than I am. (NOT physically.)
15) Cares about politics and is a responsible Canadian in that way.
16) Her hair is so pritty!!

She secretly left this photo on my computer on the 20th of November, 2006 and titled the file "the most beautiful person in the world".

Today is the day I realized that Acts of Service is officially at the bottom of my list of love languages to receive. It would be the sixth but...well now I'm just being bitter.

what a strange thought.

I'm aware that we need to trust and be obedient to God to the point where we would calmly walk into a situation that looks painful or deadly -- because we assume that it's either for our discipline or eventual benefit OR simply to maximize His glory.

I get that.

But what if He didn't miraculously swoop in and save us, either at the last moment (Abraham and Isaac-style), or as soon as we agreet? What if we didn't clearly see the perseverence producing character and hope? What if God didn't work in all things for the good of those who love him? I'm not trying to be a heretic, here. I am aware of God's sovereignty and I know that He is good.

All I'm saying is: would we waltz non-chalantly (or even after much convincing and debating) into an unpleasant circumstance if WE DIDN'T HAVE THE GUARANTEE that God would later change things? "Later" can be whenever God chooses. And I'm not talking about martyrdom. That has a clear end and you know it; that's a different kind of thing.

God is not malicious and does not torture us, not by the proper definition of torture. But WHAT IF something rather horrible happened to us..and that was it? What if it was just plain horrible?

I need to think this through more because I don't think I'm making my point properly. But maybe I'm just expressing the "jars of clay" phenomenon in another way.

501 Queen E

The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

AeonFlux (2005)

The Last Samauri (2003)

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Four films in two days is...too much. I think I'm done for a good long while.
The second and the fourth were pretty weird but just about what I expected. Aeon Flux impressed me with the set design. I'm amazed by how many times the futuristic dystopia can be re-invented. Bruce Willis' hint of a New York accent impressed me ever so slightly in Die Hard with a Vengeance. Also, I definitely approved of him rebutting Sammy J's constant racial remarks. Let's avoid the pendulum swing, shall we?

The first one was....probably not worth busting my hump to see the first available show for. In fact, I liked Journey to the Centre of the Earth better, as far as Brendan-Fraser-2008 films go. It reminded me of Rush Hour 3 (2007) a little bit, where in it was mostly refried leftovers of the first and second in the series. Mmmmm I feel a bit ripped off. I was very sad to see that Rachel Weiss wasn't in this flick. As ridiculous as I thought her character was before, she added something great and I missed her. For some strange reason I always think Fraser is older than he is but he's not even 39 yet. In this vein, I should say I'm somewhat impressed with his action-star-ness. The story didn't grip me like it did in the first one. I think I've seen it.. well a minimum of three times and maybe up to five times and I could probably watch it tomorrow. It enraptures me, somehow. It was intricate and mystery-solvish and, really, this third one more than once overtly told us that the plot would be the same. A "here we go again," kind of promise, if you will. Blech. I don't need to pay money for a re-hashing, I don't.
Ahem. The Last Samauri impressed me. I've heard good things about it and, even though it goes against my better judgement, I am a fan of Tom Cruise films. I don't actually think I've seen very many of his but I don't remember ever disliking any of thems. Interview with the Vampire (1994), Rain Man (1998), Jerry McGuire (1996), Mission Impossible (1996), Collateral (2004)...that's all I can think of right now...but I liked them all - admittedly to varying degrees.
Anyways, I didn't expect this would happen but when the flick was over, I had a silent time. Impactful movies make me lapse into silence for anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes. I am OK with this. Friends who go see flicks with me sometimes aren't. Here I would like to say, "I should work on that," but I'm not yet convinced that I need to. Ack...another story for une autre journee.
I stared through to the back of the television set while the credits rolled, and even after the DVD was stopped and the tele turned off. My friends started moving about (also not talking but not for the same reason as I - they weren't talking because I was making them uncomfortable), turning the lights on, cleaning up dishes, etc. I knew I had to get up SOME time but I was really puzzled by when I was sitting like that. I was like this after I am Legend (2007) - who knows why? Well, I guess it just gave me much to think about AND - oh and; I've never thought of this - I was very emotionally wrapped up in what was going on. Honestly? There was a moment in the film (while some peeps were practicing swordsmanship in a field) where I had to re-enter the frame of mind which understood that I was watching a dramatic presentation. This does happen to me every now and again but NEVER with a film that has a well-known actor in it. If I am familiar enough with their body of work, I forever see them as a composite of all their former characters -- unless they can have a real break-out character. Tom Cruise and the director, Edward Zwick, tricked me. I approve. I don't wanna dice up and analyze the plot or anything because I feel that would be almost insulting or desecrating to something. Maybe I will only say that I recommend people watch it OR that I now get it, since probably everyone has already seen it, given that the thing is five years old.
I was very happy to see that the film didn't do what I thought it would, based on the title. I was expecting something much more rudely Western-minded. I am relieved.

Mm, I guess I've also seen Minority Report (2002), Legend (1985), The Outsiders (1983), A Few Good Men (1992) and of course Mission: Impossible II (2000) and III (2006) if you want to count those. That's sick. I am good friends with imdb. Done.

this should have been published on Sunday.

what a weird and windy day.

I suppose it's a fitting end to a wiggly week. aaaapples and pears.



Someone handed me a cheque this morning and on the MEMO line, they wrote "Farm Missions". I think this is hilarious.



A feeling I don't like: the rubbing raw of skin around the nose from repeated tissuage.


[absolute time: 04/08/08:) 23h18]

(how do you title something like this?)

I said goodbye to my best friend yesterday. If I'm lucky, I'll see him for a few days in December and then not again until 2011.

It was a bit of a surreal moment, standing at the back of the car, talking but not talking, realizing "this is it." I definitely twice uttered, "I can't believe this day is here." (I can't believe it, really.)

In other news, I couldn't feel better about the parting or better about the friendship, as it stands. WOW, God blesses. (25) He said two things that stuck with me, two things that I wasn't expecting and two things that made me deal with an almost painful moment of intense shock ...something like a paradigm shift or an epiphany but neither of those. He asked how he could be a better friend. I asked why he was asking. He said many things but concluded that he, "[did]n't want the friendship to end."

Most people are optomistic enough, most people don't EXPECT to sever relationships but I certainly wasn't putting any eggs in the basket of the future of this friendship. I didn't realize...

My hand was sitting on the door handle for a minute or so while I checked to see if I had anything left to say. I didn't want to go (rather I didn't want HIM to go) but there were no words or relevant thoughts, only the knowledge that it was getting late and these things shouldn't be drawn out. I pulled slightly and there was a PING from somewhere inside the frame and the door moved about an inch - not far enough to engage the interior light. Then his door swung open - NO hesitation - so I got out and apparently this was it, then.
I knew what was coming.
I took a second to remove the zip hoodie (twas his) and dropped it on the passenger seat and closed my door. How slowly can I walk around to meet him, do you think? I decided to just suck it up and try to be normal -- or at least a little more fair.
I round the rear corner and his arms are already open. "I'm gonna miss you," he says, not to my face. The phrase had been on the tip of my own tongue for the past twenty minutes but never took the plunge because I wasn't in the mood to be overly vulnerable. [But this is the time for it, is it not? Parting, that's when we say our "I wish I had told you"s, n'est-ce pas? Yep.] I'm glad he said it first. All I had was, "Likewise." I remember being brutally startled by his words, as if I had gotten a small electric shock. I jumped a little, just at the concept.

When we finally stepped apart, it was kinda evident on his face that he was grasping the long-term-ness of our going aways. I'm flattered that you're so moved. I'm uh...rather humbled....just surprized and blindsided and remarkably humbled and incredulous that you cherish me as you do. (26) What else can I say?

Let's pretend that it being 3.37 am means something to me and that I should stop writing now.

"Journey to the Centre of the Earth" (2008)

Yes, I watched it today. No, it wasn't opening day..in fact it was exactly one month after opening day and I'm very much OK with that. The Mummy, however, that's GOTTA be a first-day gig. Don't even talk to me.

I don't have much to say about this film...cuz I doubt anyone I know would enjoy it as much as I did, given that I like it for rather odd reasons. I like that the thing was in 3-D. I feel this was an awesome addition to an already pretty cool film.

I like that the flick was a) based of the Jules Verne novel of the same title, and b) that the characters actually accessed the book; they carried a copy of it with them and referred to it frequently. It was a cool twist, methinks. I was esspecting something different, based on the little quipper I read on cineplex.com.

I enjoy Brendan Fraser...don't ever let me lie about that. To be frank, that was about 80% of the draw for me with seeing this film. Maybe eighty-five percent. I honestly am a big fan of his acting, his comedic talents and the context (or even intertextuality) of all the characters I've seen him play. I would say the same for Johnny Depp, yes suh. The rest of it was just having no expectations or preconceptions about the film (always a good foundation) - 7% - and perhaps the other bit was knowing that it would be a thriller-ish, problem-solvish, pseudo-action film, which I am good friends with - 6%. Let's say the rest was the 3-D-ness - 1.5% and the last half-percent is the novelty of seeing a Brendan Fraser film in threatres...I'm not sure I've ever done that, unless I saw George of the Jungle (1997) on the big screen which...I think I did. That should have been in 3-D, what with the working-out and all. I guess that half-percent should be in with the eighty. 80.5%.

I enjoyed the film. I think it was well done. Truth be told, it was rather modest. It wasn't reaching for much or pushing very hard and so, without that huge leap there wasn't much to be lost - and in fact there wasn't much lost. They didn't reach beyond their skill or beyond audience expectations. Landed.

As if paragraphs two through five started with "I". That's not cool. I wanna read the book now; I'm not gonna lie. Unfortunately, I have about 868 other books to read before I go away...people be needing their livres back.
Oh man. I'm excited for the next ...three posts. They gonna be fun.

and plumbin's our game

I was playing Super Mario Bros. earlier this week cuz my friend has a system and it's my favorite video game of life. Incidentally, it's one of three video games that I can excel at. (The other two are Loopz and Tetris...and yes, I am that cool.)

The other kids were sitting on the couch, talking among themselves and then the conversation lulled for a second. The guy pipes up, "This doesn't make any sense...! John Leguizamo is not Italian!"
I laughed because it sounded ridiculous and pretty random but then I realized that I know who John Leguizamo is - so the comment became funnier, knowing the man wasn't Italian. THEN I realized that John Leguizamo played in the Mario Brothers movie...I felt a little dumb but I do like delayed humor, ohhh baby.

Later, while I was jumping on those moving platforms (the back and forth, light orangey, cinder block-y almost guys), the same dude said, "This game has no respect for intertia."

I thought it was hilarious. And then I posted it on my blog, three days later.

"Ransom" (1996)

From the get-go I knew I had to write something about this film.

I watched it ages, ago, when it was still new but I definitely didn't remember it very well.
First thing: Gary Sinese, well done. At first I was struggling with the character but by the time the thing was half-way done I was forgetting Detective Mac Taylor and Lieutenant Dan and fully getting this guy as a dirty, dirty villian. I like that (this will sound creepster) that he's not the kind of crime lord who has his henchmen constantly fearing for their lives, blindly following, etc. etc. He's the kind of crime lord we USED TO be scared of but movies since this time have stepped it up....foundation...building..I'm not telling this story very well. But I am thinking of Brick Top from Snatch (2000).

Man, this film is so freakin twisted. I am thoroughly impressed. I'm still watching right now and can't really...focus. Ah, I love it. It's still going!

Wow, that's a quality film. I enjoy the twistage of plot and the intensity of action. By this, I don't mean I like that the action is SUPER intense but that it's adequate for the story without being overwhelming. BOOyaka.



Near the beginning of the film, we see the main character watching a video that was sent to him via email of his only son (maybe ten years old) laying on a bed, with duct tape over his mouth and shackles on his hands and feet. The voice over the video explained the situation and asked a ransom. Tom Mullen (the father, main character) reacts like most fathers would, some kind of shock with tears in the eyes.
I'm thinking about the title of the film, I'm thinking about the love of a father for a son, I'm thinking about the little bits and snippits of the film that I remember from the first time I watched it, I'm thinking about the film John Q (2002) and firmly grasping the "I would do anything to get you back" concept. It's....that's how ransoms work.

So in the next moment I'm thinking about the line in How Deep the Father's Love and hearing the line, "His wounds have paid my ransom," differently. I'm also thinking about the vague wisps of Bible verses that I have rolling around in the back rooms of my head which also use the word "ransom" or talk about men being "paid for" or perhaps "bought at a price."

If someone took from you something that was ultimately precious you would do anything to get them back. I can't stress the anything part enough.

I still haven't even processed this idea fully; I haven't made it make sense to me but maybe it's just too lofty for me to attain. I guess I never thought of us as being outside God's grasp or outside His realm. But we were kicked out of the garden, weren't we? And He would do anything....He would pay because someone else took away His kids and is holding them out of His reach. Interesting...would Satan have ever formally asked for a ransom? I feel that it doesn't work that way. Rather it's the system (the word "system" doesn't work but...) that God established which needs to be satisfied. (And on that cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied...) Hmmm...Jesus made sense as a payment. It worked! It works and it is finished.

I guess all I've really got is that moment of intense panic where you realize that someone else has full control of the situation - and they've also got something you love in captivity. Hmm.
Oh - it's panic and it's the complete negating of the value of all other things in your life. (This works more for people than for God but, we certainly say that He gave up His only begotten.) But um, your money, your house, your time, your sleep, your everything means nothing unless it can get you back what was taken from you. I'm not sure I can drive this point any harder so I'll stop.

it was in my bag.

"A date? A date? Like dinner-and-a-movie, naked-and-sweaty?"

This line was delivered by Dr Foreman on House M.D. thought it was funny cuz it seemed out of character for him. He doesn't usually talk about stuff like that. Umm and also, he said "naked" almost like the Fresh Prince did - "nekkid," if you will. hah.

and mussels, alive, alive-o

Know what warms my heart? Know one of the things that warms my heart? Christian families. The term doesn't make sense, admittedly, but I like seeing a houseful of believers. It's awesome.

I'm now over hearing the thirteen-year-old sister of a friend of mine play guitar and sing some Jesus song. Incidentally, she just got back from a one-week missions trip on Manatoulin Island. Wow. The cockles of my heart consider themselves officially warmed.

I IV V vi
IV V I

Oh! She's playing Hosanna by Hillsong! Calloo-callay, o frabjous day!

"The Dark Knight" (2008)

Yeah, I watched it. Yeah, it was opening day. Yeah I've been looking forward to this depuis longuetemps because it fell on my birthday.
(sheepishly: Yeah, I in-and-out-edly fell asleep during the closing ten minutes because I was exhausted and the action had slowed.)
I think I need to refrain from commenting on Heath Ledger's performance because, well, no matter what I say I'll be either on of THOSE people or one of THESE people and I don't want to be like that. I don't.
I must applaud the screenwriters for how they're weaving this sixth major motion picture into the story of all the other Batman flicks. I do believe this one, along with Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992) and Batman Begins (2005), were alike in that they seemed to pack more than one movie into their allotted time. It's like having more than one climax but in a completely unpredictable and well-played way. Part of me feels like I'm getting more bang for my buck, I suppose.

Christian Bale - can I just say it? - is more than mildly attractive, in my opinion.
...Had to get it out there.

I need to give mad props to the costume department and the set designers. THEY KNOW how to make their work work. They know that the Joker should have a velvety creepo forest green too-tight vest on over some geometric patterned metalic-ish lavendar dress shirt during one of the few scenes we see him coat-less. I....I don't know enough about this stuff to make any useful comments so I'll stop after saying that I found these things excellent and enjoyed them thoroughly.

I hyped this film up in my mind and I don't know why. I wonder if part of me wanted to be part of something big - in my time. It's just like watching The Terminator (1984) which, incidentally, has a fourquel (?) coming out soon starring Christian Bale - Terminator Salvation (2009).
There were def quite a few folk at the theatre (Ottawa Collesium....first time for everythang) who had made up their faces with maquillage comme the Joker. It was....creepier to me AFTER watching the film. Yes. Still, I can appreciate the dedication.

At the end, I convinced one of my friends to stay til the end of the credits to check if anything was left. I shant say if there was BUT, as we were waiting, he made fun of a few names, as most of us do while watching bunches of white letters scroll upward. Best line:
"Ahh. [sounding relieved] Dorothy Precious. My favorite financial controller. [beat] I've been following her work for years."
I was already laughing after he said her name because I was secretly hoping it wasn't her actual name and he was calling her precious, or something..good times.

I enjoy a good sub-story, I do. This film had quite a few and handled them well. They weren't distracting; I didn't feel like I was watching three different films simultaneously, like you might when you watched Snatch (2000) or something. I am happy that big-budget films can afford to be sure that EVERY PERSON ON CAMERA is a good, or at least decent, actor. This makes a big difference. Taking care of details earns you mad respect in my books.

I enjoyed the motocyclette. I..really did. I don't know why. Motorcycles don't really do much for me though crazy technology with the likes of superheroes or James Bond are always somewhat impressive. But I really enjoyed that motorcycle. I'm pretty sure I wanted to ride it. Somehow, the way B-man was weaving and manoeuvring was very pleasant to me...don't know what it was. Maybe it was just efficient, like how some people drive. OK enough of that.

Plot twists, however? Also quite excellent. Who wrote this thing.....now I need to know. Christopher Nolan (also the director), Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer. Done. Mad props to them.

The more time/space I put between the end of the film and me in this moment, the more I like/appreciate this film. Yes. In this way it's kinda like I am Legend (2007) for me. That and Batman Begins which, let's be serious, was a freakin epic. That thing was good. I don't even know HOW I liked it. I can barely wrap my brain around it. In other news, it's 2.47am. End.


[Editor's note: this shall not count as the 500th post on account of seven unpublished drafts contributing to that total.]

two for $4.99!

It's actually two quotes for the 499th post but I won't tell anyone.

"He's the male version of girl."
(I have no idea who said it, I just found a scrap of papes in a bag I rarely use.)

"If I remember correctly this is the Physics Department."
"That explains all the gravity."
(Brian and Chris, respectively, from Family Guy)


mmm GTs.