Tretakoff Musings
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Superhero movies: why can't Hollywood learn?
Had to happen: the much-awaited X-Men 3 came out, and I was determined to see it. I'm a big X-Men fan from the 80's, and comic book fan, overall. I wanted to see this one, and have even had the Konfabulator Widget for it counting down. The preview? Stunning. The clips I've seen? Looked to be the right stuff. A winning franchise, a winning formula right?
As usual, Hollywood grows complacent with their success. X-Men 3, on paper, was great: great action, lots of characters, and a really interesting story line (the government finds a "cure" for mutants; do they want to be cured?). Add in an even bigger budget, Oscar winners, and a huge effects scene. But this time, Brett Ratner directs. What does it add up to? A fun night, but no real winner.
Why can't Hollywood learn? When it comes to superhero films, it's a hard enough balance to suspend disbelief. What have been the elements of the truly successful ones? Think about it: the director, who comes from a proven success in independent film making to give a whole new vision.
In most of the above, the director helped write, cast, and set the visual tone of the film. They come from a world of no rules, so they cast aside preconceptions. X-Men 3? Brett Ratner, who's fame comes from music videos and the Rush Hour Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker vehicles. Yes, he's made some gems (Red Dragon was good, as was After the Sunset), but X-Men 3? The lack of risk showed: all the requisite ingredients, with not a good cook, do not a great meal make.
Contrast that with what was playing on HBO when I came home, Batman Begins. Christopher Nolan, of Memento fame, took a whole new look at Batman and made it an incredible film. When I saw it in the theater, I said it was the only thing that could make Tim Burton's Batman look like the Adam West series: it was that original.
Now we have Ghost Rider coming. Previews look great, but Mark Steven Johnson is directing. I know Daredevil was not a commercial success, but I thought he did a great job with the character, the effects, and the movie...but again, hard to suspend disbelief. And don't get me started on Electra...even though my old classmate wrote it, it was still hard to watch. With Ghost Rider, it's a hard character to bring to the screen. It needs more than just a formulaic director. Why not reach into the indies, and get a director who can tap into the evil contract of this character? I can hope it's good, but...
Hollywood needs to learn: these characters are already bigger than life. Adding more explosions or effects will not make this be the film it needs to be. Look at Bryan Singer's upcoming Superman Returns; that focuses on Superman, the man, not the cape and boots. Get a great innovative director, surround them with a world-class character actor team, and get a script that works. Don't be afraid to risk it; Frank Miller brought comics Batman, Daredevil, and Sin City; when Hollywood had him write Robocop 2, they cut the edgy parts that had made Robocop such a success. When he was given free reign in Sin City, the results were box office gold.
Look, Hollywood: we have endless entertainment choices today. After years of parody and neglect, you are finally focusing of characters and stories ripe for the big screen: superheroes. Do it right, take the risk, and watch it payoff. Don't give us Catwoman or Electra: give us passionate directors who feel the characters, and let them work.
We want to like you; let us.
Had to happen: the much-awaited X-Men 3 came out, and I was determined to see it. I'm a big X-Men fan from the 80's, and comic book fan, overall. I wanted to see this one, and have even had the Konfabulator Widget for it counting down. The preview? Stunning. The clips I've seen? Looked to be the right stuff. A winning franchise, a winning formula right?
As usual, Hollywood grows complacent with their success. X-Men 3, on paper, was great: great action, lots of characters, and a really interesting story line (the government finds a "cure" for mutants; do they want to be cured?). Add in an even bigger budget, Oscar winners, and a huge effects scene. But this time, Brett Ratner directs. What does it add up to? A fun night, but no real winner.
Why can't Hollywood learn? When it comes to superhero films, it's a hard enough balance to suspend disbelief. What have been the elements of the truly successful ones? Think about it: the director, who comes from a proven success in independent film making to give a whole new vision.
- Batman & Batman Returns, from Tim Burton
- Blade, from Stephen Norrington
- Superman, from Richard Donner (yes, I know he went on to the Lethal Weapon series, but before Superman, he had done The Omen only)
- Spider-Man, from Sam Raimi
- X-Men & X-Men United, from Bryan Singer
- and the king of them all, Batman Begins from Christopher Nolan
In most of the above, the director helped write, cast, and set the visual tone of the film. They come from a world of no rules, so they cast aside preconceptions. X-Men 3? Brett Ratner, who's fame comes from music videos and the Rush Hour Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker vehicles. Yes, he's made some gems (Red Dragon was good, as was After the Sunset), but X-Men 3? The lack of risk showed: all the requisite ingredients, with not a good cook, do not a great meal make.
Contrast that with what was playing on HBO when I came home, Batman Begins. Christopher Nolan, of Memento fame, took a whole new look at Batman and made it an incredible film. When I saw it in the theater, I said it was the only thing that could make Tim Burton's Batman look like the Adam West series: it was that original.
Now we have Ghost Rider coming. Previews look great, but Mark Steven Johnson is directing. I know Daredevil was not a commercial success, but I thought he did a great job with the character, the effects, and the movie...but again, hard to suspend disbelief. And don't get me started on Electra...even though my old classmate wrote it, it was still hard to watch. With Ghost Rider, it's a hard character to bring to the screen. It needs more than just a formulaic director. Why not reach into the indies, and get a director who can tap into the evil contract of this character? I can hope it's good, but...
Hollywood needs to learn: these characters are already bigger than life. Adding more explosions or effects will not make this be the film it needs to be. Look at Bryan Singer's upcoming Superman Returns; that focuses on Superman, the man, not the cape and boots. Get a great innovative director, surround them with a world-class character actor team, and get a script that works. Don't be afraid to risk it; Frank Miller brought comics Batman, Daredevil, and Sin City; when Hollywood had him write Robocop 2, they cut the edgy parts that had made Robocop such a success. When he was given free reign in Sin City, the results were box office gold.
Look, Hollywood: we have endless entertainment choices today. After years of parody and neglect, you are finally focusing of characters and stories ripe for the big screen: superheroes. Do it right, take the risk, and watch it payoff. Don't give us Catwoman or Electra: give us passionate directors who feel the characters, and let them work.
We want to like you; let us.
Party time!
Wendy just graduated from college, and Jim throws a party the only way he knows how: full out! Live entertainment, a DJ, obscene amounts of pork, crab, lobster, and ribs, and about 100 of their closest friends.
Man, what a night! After the party started getting too much, we headed to the rest of Rafters in San Rafael, and listened to a great blues band. A nice night all around.
Wendy just graduated from college, and Jim throws a party the only way he knows how: full out! Live entertainment, a DJ, obscene amounts of pork, crab, lobster, and ribs, and about 100 of their closest friends.
Man, what a night! After the party started getting too much, we headed to the rest of Rafters in San Rafael, and listened to a great blues band. A nice night all around.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Meat Worship
We had a great meal, with Lani to thank (she turned us on to it and was there). We ate well, and Francine enjoyed her double nickel day more than she thought!
Amy's sister Francine is here, and its her birthday! House Of Prime Rib, here we come!
We had a great meal, with Lani to thank (she turned us on to it and was there). We ate well, and Francine enjoyed her double nickel day more than she thought!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Mobile Life Tips: Palm Skinning
Want to breathe new life into your Palm? Give it a whole new look with a new skin. I use ZLauncher as my application control, and there's a whole world of skins for it; my favorite is the Windows Vista one.
Want to take it a step further? How about skinning the dynamic input area, AND giving it new functionality? mySkin does just that.
Need more? How about a great clock app, PalmaryClock, which lets you skin the faces and backgrounds.
Your Palm will never be boring!
Want to breathe new life into your Palm? Give it a whole new look with a new skin. I use ZLauncher as my application control, and there's a whole world of skins for it; my favorite is the Windows Vista one.
Want to take it a step further? How about skinning the dynamic input area, AND giving it new functionality? mySkin does just that.
Need more? How about a great clock app, PalmaryClock, which lets you skin the faces and backgrounds.
Your Palm will never be boring!
Got Vista?
Ok, those who know my computer proclivities really know I have a thing for transforming the user interface, or "skinning." I'm a sucker to modify the look and feel of the computer to something...cooler.
With the next version of Windows, called Vista, there will be a much updated look and feel. Thanks to an enterprising programmer, there's no need to wait: the Vista Transformation Pack will turn your PC into a Vista PC, like magic. I have tried it, and am sticking with it: I did have to learn how to put the computer in "safe mode," but it works GREAT.
Much more stable and better than WindowBlinds, and FREE.
Ok, those who know my computer proclivities really know I have a thing for transforming the user interface, or "skinning." I'm a sucker to modify the look and feel of the computer to something...cooler.
With the next version of Windows, called Vista, there will be a much updated look and feel. Thanks to an enterprising programmer, there's no need to wait: the Vista Transformation Pack will turn your PC into a Vista PC, like magic. I have tried it, and am sticking with it: I did have to learn how to put the computer in "safe mode," but it works GREAT.
Much more stable and better than WindowBlinds, and FREE.
CraigsList meets Google Maps
Mashups are all the rage. I mentioned one before, that turned a Yahoo Map into a pirate map, but this HousingMaps site makes a mash-up with a purpose: it takes CraigsList real estate rental and sales and puts them right on a Google Map!
Now you can see the neighborhood, the details, all with the info at your fingertips. Better than most of the real estate sites I visited. Cool!
Now you can see the neighborhood, the details, all with the info at your fingertips. Better than most of the real estate sites I visited. Cool!
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Google Desktop: Ready for primetime?
Google released the latest version of Google Desktop last week. I embraced the opportunity to try it again.
Pros:
- The Google Gadgets on the desktop almost evoke a Konfabulator/Yahoo Widget Engine feel. Not quite as elegant, less of them.
- The self-learning news and RSS feeds feature in the Sidebar is simply awe-inspiring. Imagine a personal assistant that watches what you do, learns what you like, and constantly fetches the latest for you.
- Google search on your desktop? Emails, docs, etc.? Say no more.
Cons:
- SLOW. In the indexing, it takes a good few days to get done.
- It is not as elegant as it claims to not interfere with your daily work; it should ONLY index in the background, without excessive CPU load. Instead, it can spike my CPU to 100%, and leave me waiting for up to a minute to read an email, etc.
- Not enough Gadgets to really compete. I'd like to see them take their homepage gadgets and extend them to the desktop.
Jury's still out...
Google released the latest version of Google Desktop last week. I embraced the opportunity to try it again.
Pros:
- The Google Gadgets on the desktop almost evoke a Konfabulator/Yahoo Widget Engine feel. Not quite as elegant, less of them.
- The self-learning news and RSS feeds feature in the Sidebar is simply awe-inspiring. Imagine a personal assistant that watches what you do, learns what you like, and constantly fetches the latest for you.
- Google search on your desktop? Emails, docs, etc.? Say no more.
Cons:
- SLOW. In the indexing, it takes a good few days to get done.
- It is not as elegant as it claims to not interfere with your daily work; it should ONLY index in the background, without excessive CPU load. Instead, it can spike my CPU to 100%, and leave me waiting for up to a minute to read an email, etc.
- Not enough Gadgets to really compete. I'd like to see them take their homepage gadgets and extend them to the desktop.
Jury's still out...
A Sign O' The Times
I don't know if you've seen this new category of products ("Manscaping"?!?!), but Amazon has the Philips Norelco BG2020 Men's Bodygroom, complete with a hilarious tongue in cheek video to market the benefits. But that's not really what got me: take a look at what customers who have bought this have been buying:
A truly unexpected crossover market. :-)
A truly unexpected crossover market. :-)
Everybody talks about the weather
Including Konfabulator (Yahoo Widget Engine). In addition to a great graphical weather widget, Charles turned me on to the Radar Widget, which allows you to monitor the Doppler radar for up to 2 different locations, right on your desktop. For him, he works out of his house mostly, so he can chat about the weather in real-time with co-workers or clients in San Jose, Atlanta, etc.
Me? I'm keeping an eye on my area and Boston. Why? Well, remember I said the rains were over? Seems not: with Francine (Amy's sister) here, we now have unseasonable rain for 3 days. Bizarre. Well, into each life a little rain must fall...just not for long.
Including Konfabulator (Yahoo Widget Engine). In addition to a great graphical weather widget, Charles turned me on to the Radar Widget, which allows you to monitor the Doppler radar for up to 2 different locations, right on your desktop. For him, he works out of his house mostly, so he can chat about the weather in real-time with co-workers or clients in San Jose, Atlanta, etc.
Me? I'm keeping an eye on my area and Boston. Why? Well, remember I said the rains were over? Seems not: with Francine (Amy's sister) here, we now have unseasonable rain for 3 days. Bizarre. Well, into each life a little rain must fall...just not for long.
Speaking of Charles...
When I went to Boston recently, I stayed with Charles. He and Jane have built an incredible house in Plymouth, MA. It's beautiful, expansive, well situated, and perfect for raising 3 girls, 1 boy (on the way!), a small dog and a rabbit. The location is great, and they recently added an office to the top floor that is amazing, not to mention a whole additional condo on the side of the house for Jane's mom!
But one thing truly amazed me. No, not the astounding kitchen (it is wonderful!) or the best pantry ever, or even the wraparound porch. It's something that I, not being a parent of one, let alone three girls, or even being a parent looked upon in astonishment, but absolute awe and appreciation. The apparent key to handling a growing active family can be stated in 1 picture, truly worth 1000 words:
Wow. Jane & Charles: I salute your dedication as parents. :-)
When I went to Boston recently, I stayed with Charles. He and Jane have built an incredible house in Plymouth, MA. It's beautiful, expansive, well situated, and perfect for raising 3 girls, 1 boy (on the way!), a small dog and a rabbit. The location is great, and they recently added an office to the top floor that is amazing, not to mention a whole additional condo on the side of the house for Jane's mom!
But one thing truly amazed me. No, not the astounding kitchen (it is wonderful!) or the best pantry ever, or even the wraparound porch. It's something that I, not being a parent of one, let alone three girls, or even being a parent looked upon in astonishment, but absolute awe and appreciation. The apparent key to handling a growing active family can be stated in 1 picture, truly worth 1000 words:
Wow. Jane & Charles: I salute your dedication as parents. :-)
High School Memories
Just to put the capper on my high school reunion, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Like the couch, made of the most bizarre plastic/foam rubber that was nearly indestructible that I must have crashed on 1000 times. Or the lunchroom, with the endless heaping pile of sandwiches that a private school teenager with a high metabolism needs.
Or the stairwell, with the 3rd floor landing that went nowhere, and only fit two teenagers lying down, but opened up whole new worlds. The "smoking lounge," where teachers and students could drop roles for a few minutes in a ritual of times gone by.
Why did I go to this school? Some of you know the story: my parents tricked me into going. See, when I went to junior high school, my town decided to close the junior high all kids from my grammar school had ever gone to. Instead, they decided we, being from a hippy, well-to-do part of town, should go to a junior high waaaaaay across town, in the only working-class part. The local folks, mostly classic Italian-Americans, were not thrilled: a classic setup. So, they decided to show us how unwelcome we were. On the first day, there were over 100 fights. Unfortunately, I made the big mistake: I won my fight. From then on, once a week, I would be "jumped" and beaten, sometimes head being driven into rocks, etc. Not a lot of fun, but I was determined to tough it out.
My parents, in the meantime, were beside themselves. They knew I could not stay there. So, they broached the idea of private school. I was deadset against it: I was no spoiled rich kid. They pleaded, demanded, cajoled: nothing worked with me. They finally resorted to trickery.
First, they had me visit schools. Dressed me up in khakis and a polo shirt, had me tie a sweater around my neck; honest to God. I rejected every school we saw: all EXACTLY what I thought of private school. My mother was crestfallen; surely ONE of the schools was to my liking. She looked at her son, most recent scars and increasingly war-zone fatigued as I was becoming, and was determined to keep trying. She finally suggested this one school that was a little more artsy, smaller, and she had not REALLY taken it seriously: Beaver Country Day School.
We went to visit Beaver. Yes, that's really the name: named after a famous ship of Boston (and, US) history: remember the Tea Party? Well, we arrived at the school; I ditched the sweater (again to my mother's chagrin), and we walked to the main entrance. See those three arches? One had students all chatting in it, one was blocked off...and the middle one had a tall student, in denim jacket and jeans, long hair, passed out cold. We literally had to step over him (Eli, who I would come to step over many times, in similar conditions) to get into the school. I smiled and thought this might be different. After the tour, my mother hesitantly asked me what I thought, and I said. "Not so bad." She sprang into action.
First, she had me take the SSAT's, a requirement for private school. Her ruse? "Take this as a practice to see how you do. If you do OK, you can take it next year, and we can decide if you want to see about high schools other than yours." I was skeptical, but sacrificed a Saturday morning to do so. The school year ended, and we headed to Martha's Vineyard for vacation: my parents rented a house in Chilmark for a few weeks. We'd been there about 3 weeks, when the phone rang; I answered. It was the Headmaster of Beaver, congratulating me on my choice, and looking forward to seeing me in the Fall. I was stunned: my parents had submitted my SSAT's, filled out my application, submitted it, and had me accepted, all without telling me.
Well, you know the rest. I eventually relented, leaving the junior high school version of Fallujah for a class of 60 people and an emphasis on the arts. For the first year, I spoke to no one. I carried my knife with me, to fend off any attacks...but none were to be had. My fellow students didn't know what to make of me: most had been in private schools together since toddlers. Towards the end of my first year, about 25 years ago, one guy (Italian, big guy, fairly imposing himself, who I had already pegged as the first guy who would throw this ruse of happiness away and start the beatings) started to talk with me. It became clear in 10 minutes that we would be extremely good friends.
And Charles has been my best friend, my brother ever since. I guess the deception worked out for the best!
Just to put the capper on my high school reunion, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Like the couch, made of the most bizarre plastic/foam rubber that was nearly indestructible that I must have crashed on 1000 times. Or the lunchroom, with the endless heaping pile of sandwiches that a private school teenager with a high metabolism needs.
Or the stairwell, with the 3rd floor landing that went nowhere, and only fit two teenagers lying down, but opened up whole new worlds. The "smoking lounge," where teachers and students could drop roles for a few minutes in a ritual of times gone by.
Why did I go to this school? Some of you know the story: my parents tricked me into going. See, when I went to junior high school, my town decided to close the junior high all kids from my grammar school had ever gone to. Instead, they decided we, being from a hippy, well-to-do part of town, should go to a junior high waaaaaay across town, in the only working-class part. The local folks, mostly classic Italian-Americans, were not thrilled: a classic setup. So, they decided to show us how unwelcome we were. On the first day, there were over 100 fights. Unfortunately, I made the big mistake: I won my fight. From then on, once a week, I would be "jumped" and beaten, sometimes head being driven into rocks, etc. Not a lot of fun, but I was determined to tough it out.
My parents, in the meantime, were beside themselves. They knew I could not stay there. So, they broached the idea of private school. I was deadset against it: I was no spoiled rich kid. They pleaded, demanded, cajoled: nothing worked with me. They finally resorted to trickery.
First, they had me visit schools. Dressed me up in khakis and a polo shirt, had me tie a sweater around my neck; honest to God. I rejected every school we saw: all EXACTLY what I thought of private school. My mother was crestfallen; surely ONE of the schools was to my liking. She looked at her son, most recent scars and increasingly war-zone fatigued as I was becoming, and was determined to keep trying. She finally suggested this one school that was a little more artsy, smaller, and she had not REALLY taken it seriously: Beaver Country Day School.
We went to visit Beaver. Yes, that's really the name: named after a famous ship of Boston (and, US) history: remember the Tea Party? Well, we arrived at the school; I ditched the sweater (again to my mother's chagrin), and we walked to the main entrance. See those three arches? One had students all chatting in it, one was blocked off...and the middle one had a tall student, in denim jacket and jeans, long hair, passed out cold. We literally had to step over him (Eli, who I would come to step over many times, in similar conditions) to get into the school. I smiled and thought this might be different. After the tour, my mother hesitantly asked me what I thought, and I said. "Not so bad." She sprang into action.First, she had me take the SSAT's, a requirement for private school. Her ruse? "Take this as a practice to see how you do. If you do OK, you can take it next year, and we can decide if you want to see about high schools other than yours." I was skeptical, but sacrificed a Saturday morning to do so. The school year ended, and we headed to Martha's Vineyard for vacation: my parents rented a house in Chilmark for a few weeks. We'd been there about 3 weeks, when the phone rang; I answered. It was the Headmaster of Beaver, congratulating me on my choice, and looking forward to seeing me in the Fall. I was stunned: my parents had submitted my SSAT's, filled out my application, submitted it, and had me accepted, all without telling me.
Well, you know the rest. I eventually relented, leaving the junior high school version of Fallujah for a class of 60 people and an emphasis on the arts. For the first year, I spoke to no one. I carried my knife with me, to fend off any attacks...but none were to be had. My fellow students didn't know what to make of me: most had been in private schools together since toddlers. Towards the end of my first year, about 25 years ago, one guy (Italian, big guy, fairly imposing himself, who I had already pegged as the first guy who would throw this ruse of happiness away and start the beatings) started to talk with me. It became clear in 10 minutes that we would be extremely good friends.
And Charles has been my best friend, my brother ever since. I guess the deception worked out for the best!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
NICE laptop...and it's an affordable Mac!
Wow. Apple uneveiled the new MacBook today, and man, is it sweet. Since it runs on the Intel chipset now, it can run Mac or Windows, and it's LOADED, all for under $1100.
Oh, did I mention it comes in Black? ;-)
Oh, did I mention it comes in Black? ;-)
An Indoor Pond for under $200?
I'm not much for the construction work, but this step by step guide on building a Low Cost Indoor Pond is remarkably appealing. Even more interestingly, in my home, there is a "conversation pit" from the '70's in front of the fireplace that has been covered over, and is unused space; I wonder if I could convert it to this?
Sports Guy: Female Fantasy
Get that thought out of your mind! No, the latest from The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, borders on genius: a way to have most women understand the appeal of fantasy sports, by creating a league they SO could get into: the US Weekly Magazine Fantasy League.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Apple's got their ad groove back
Seen the latest Apple ads for the Mac? After treading carefully for so many years to not alienate the PC world, Apple has rediscovered the joy of distinctiveness, while embracing the reality of the world, with clever humor.
It's no Ridley Scott 1984, but it's a great start! A fun and clever watch.
It's no Ridley Scott 1984, but it's a great start! A fun and clever watch.
30 Seconds of Podcast Fame
I've written about podcasts in this blog before. One of the ones I religiously listen to is the Engadget Podcast: all things gadget. They also have a toll free number to leave questions in voicemail, which they will occasionally play on the air.
Well, my time has come. Towards the end of the program (it's about an hour), listen for the question from Josh from San Francisco. Yep, I've been immortalized in gadget geekdom forever.
As Pete said: great question; bad answer.
Well, my time has come. Towards the end of the program (it's about an hour), listen for the question from Josh from San Francisco. Yep, I've been immortalized in gadget geekdom forever.
As Pete said: great question; bad answer.
Time to don your black football jersey
It finally has happened. The end of an era. It's here, and yet it feels so impossible. I can't say anymore. Doug Flutie retires from pro football.
Please observe a moment of silence.
It finally has happened. The end of an era. It's here, and yet it feels so impossible. I can't say anymore. Doug Flutie retires from pro football.
Please observe a moment of silence.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
No Wimpy Wines Saves your Hearing
Huh? Hey, the folks at U Michigan seem to think that Red wine may fight deafness. Blind drunk syndrome is next...
What's this gadget?
A PC? A PDA? A UMPC? Sony's not telling, but with WiFi, Bluetooth, and a slide out keyboard, this new Sony just might bring the new UMPC to reality.
UPDATE: Engadget spills the beans.
A PC? A PDA? A UMPC? Sony's not telling, but with WiFi, Bluetooth, and a slide out keyboard, this new Sony just might bring the new UMPC to reality.
UPDATE: Engadget spills the beans.
Deadwood a lame duck?
Seems hard to believe that HBO would allow this to happen, what with the drop off in the viewership of The Sopranos, but it seems that this season could be Deadwood's last. I'm crestfallen: no more of the most appropriately named dramatic character, Al Swearingen? First, my ideal president retires after a comeback (West Wing), then the Sopranos turns out to be an overblown image of itself (this season), and the one hope of great drama on television is riding off into the sunset?
Say it ain't so...
Say it ain't so...
Saturday, May 13, 2006
20 years: don't they go by in a blink of an eye
I knew it was coming. I laughed about it. I ignored it. I snarled at the mention of it. And yet, it was mysteriously compelling and repulsive at the same time.
My 20th High School Reunion.
Sure, you hear stories from everyone about reunions. They laugh, make it seem like a rite of passage. But what it really is is the first conscious declaration that, although in your mind you still feel 18, you are not. And yet, there is the odd magnetism of being with a specific group of people who are in the exact situation as you, and reveling in the same feeling.
In any case, my high school is 3000 miles away; I had no intentions of traveling to what was a clearly blatant attempt to get donations from me to a place I had not been in 20 years, to see a very small group of folks (our graduating class was 63 people), most of whom I really wasn't interested in seeing. And then it came. My friend Charles IM'ed me with the simple question.
"You coming?"
And just like that, I was. I can't explain it. It's this strange tunnel vision: you suddenly are flooded with the good memories, and shut out the bad. You just know...you have to.
So, away I went, for my first real non-work/obligation/event trip to Boston in about 9 years. JetBlue makes it easy. I was picked up at the airport by Charles, who promptly whisked us to the cocktail party of choice, at our alma mater. I was not expecting it, but within moments (thank you, Big Dig) we were at the location of some of the most formative experiences of our lives.
When you first see the campus of a place that you spent almost every waking hour at for 5 years after 20 years, you feel comforted: "Oh, it's practically the same." And then you notice the newness. What you accepted as normal is now considered quaint. What you never dreamed of having, like a massive wing for the performing arts, complete with black box theater and multiple studios, is now de rigeur. And it's then you know.
You are not a kid anymore.
But there are good things! Reunions with old friends, for instance. Vasska, of course, who now runs one of the finest retail stores on Martha's Vineyard with his fantastic wife Tarni.
Dave Strand, the man who's motto I still quote monthly ("It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it."), and took some great photos from the weekend. Allison Latt, who I barely spoke with in high school, hosted us all with a great party and fun. Jill Mazza, whom I have known since were kids, and who's sister Pamela will always be a sister to me. Ian, who flew in from Wisconsin; Jen Sesen, the first person I ever heard with the name "Jenna." And so many others.
We decided to bail on the dinner at the school, and headed to a nearby restaurant (talk about memory lane: I took my first date there, in the early '80's!). We spent the night drinking, eating, laughing, and picking up where we all left off. we talked about what our lives were now, and what ever happened to...etc.
Finally, we headed out, promising to meet at the barbeque at the school the next day. More on that later...
My 20th High School Reunion.
Sure, you hear stories from everyone about reunions. They laugh, make it seem like a rite of passage. But what it really is is the first conscious declaration that, although in your mind you still feel 18, you are not. And yet, there is the odd magnetism of being with a specific group of people who are in the exact situation as you, and reveling in the same feeling.
In any case, my high school is 3000 miles away; I had no intentions of traveling to what was a clearly blatant attempt to get donations from me to a place I had not been in 20 years, to see a very small group of folks (our graduating class was 63 people), most of whom I really wasn't interested in seeing. And then it came. My friend Charles IM'ed me with the simple question.
"You coming?"
And just like that, I was. I can't explain it. It's this strange tunnel vision: you suddenly are flooded with the good memories, and shut out the bad. You just know...you have to.
So, away I went, for my first real non-work/obligation/event trip to Boston in about 9 years. JetBlue makes it easy. I was picked up at the airport by Charles, who promptly whisked us to the cocktail party of choice, at our alma mater. I was not expecting it, but within moments (thank you, Big Dig) we were at the location of some of the most formative experiences of our lives.
When you first see the campus of a place that you spent almost every waking hour at for 5 years after 20 years, you feel comforted: "Oh, it's practically the same." And then you notice the newness. What you accepted as normal is now considered quaint. What you never dreamed of having, like a massive wing for the performing arts, complete with black box theater and multiple studios, is now de rigeur. And it's then you know.
You are not a kid anymore.
But there are good things! Reunions with old friends, for instance. Vasska, of course, who now runs one of the finest retail stores on Martha's Vineyard with his fantastic wife Tarni.
Dave Strand, the man who's motto I still quote monthly ("It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it."), and took some great photos from the weekend. Allison Latt, who I barely spoke with in high school, hosted us all with a great party and fun. Jill Mazza, whom I have known since were kids, and who's sister Pamela will always be a sister to me. Ian, who flew in from Wisconsin; Jen Sesen, the first person I ever heard with the name "Jenna." And so many others.
We decided to bail on the dinner at the school, and headed to a nearby restaurant (talk about memory lane: I took my first date there, in the early '80's!). We spent the night drinking, eating, laughing, and picking up where we all left off. we talked about what our lives were now, and what ever happened to...etc.
Finally, we headed out, promising to meet at the barbeque at the school the next day. More on that later...
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Moblogging?
I'm trying to increase my blogging frequency by blogging on my Palm. For
instance, I was in Boston last week. Got off the plane, and I was greeted
by a 6' version of one of the best benefits of the East Coast!
Now THAT'S a cup of coffee!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Oh Yeah: the Web is my DVR
Lots to talk about, but this is my next weekend project: Automatically download your favorite TV shows, courtesy of Lifehacker.
