Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Theodore Boone: The Abduction
I still haven't read the whole of Breaking Dawn, but I'm trying. Naturally, I haven't finished reading The Lincoln Lawyer either. But I did manage to read Theodore Boone: the Abduction and enjoyed it. It was short and quick, and I can now claim, halfway through 2011, that I read a complete book. I read six or so last year. My writing has gotten the best of my time, so reading for pleasure has taken a back seat.
Anyway, Theodore Boone: The Abduction starts with a hook and ends with a hook. On getting through this one, I feel the same way as when I finished Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer. I wanted to read the next book right away. The reality is I have to wait. These stories don't write themselves, and they take time. What a great fiction series to read and enjoy.
Anyway, Theodore Boone: The Abduction starts with a hook and ends with a hook. On getting through this one, I feel the same way as when I finished Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer. I wanted to read the next book right away. The reality is I have to wait. These stories don't write themselves, and they take time. What a great fiction series to read and enjoy.
No More Mr. Soft Guy
It was nice to see the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA title. Dirk Nowitski has shaken the soft label.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
NBA Finals Ready to Commence
The Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat will square off for 2011's NBA title.
Never would I have picked these two to come out of their respective brackets. I figured it would be the Lakers versus anyone from the East, not necessarily the Heat. This year's Finals matchup is a repeat from 2006. The Mavericks squandered a 2-0 lead in that series. I hope neither team suffers that kind of futility this time. May the best team win. Here's hoping for seven games.
Never would I have picked these two to come out of their respective brackets. I figured it would be the Lakers versus anyone from the East, not necessarily the Heat. This year's Finals matchup is a repeat from 2006. The Mavericks squandered a 2-0 lead in that series. I hope neither team suffers that kind of futility this time. May the best team win. Here's hoping for seven games.
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Lincoln Lawyer
It took me five to six years to discover The Lincoln Lawyer, and I'm glad that I did eventually. Author Michael Connelly does a good job in keeping a reader engaged with the legal exploits of L.A. defense attorney Mickey Haller.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Big College Roundball Surprise
My alma mater will dance at the big ball! Women and men. So pleased!
I'm pretty sure this tandem is a first.
I'm pretty sure this tandem is a first.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Two Great Fiction Choices
Recently I read two great novels, The Confession by John Grisham and Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. I highly recommend The Confession for anyone looking for a consummate John Grisham story about justice, the legal system and government corruption. The story involves the death penalty and is quite different from The Chamber. With The Confession, Grisham shows in part how the world works.
Freedom is a more ambitious work where the narrative is sprawling and not so action driven. Characters have identities that go beyond what they do for a living because Franzen's emphasis is on them, their lives and inner thoughts rather than their role in an overall plot. They aren't used to move the story along. They are the story.
On reading Franzen, one can tell he likes to experiment with words. He prefers obscure terms I never knew were in the English language. I didn't look most of them up because that would amount to work, but I did write them down to revisit later. It seems to me that some of the words Franzen uses are best applied in literary works like Freedom, because such words have little practical value beyond that. I don't think I could remember all of those words, even after having looked up a few in a dictionary.
Freedom is a more ambitious work where the narrative is sprawling and not so action driven. Characters have identities that go beyond what they do for a living because Franzen's emphasis is on them, their lives and inner thoughts rather than their role in an overall plot. They aren't used to move the story along. They are the story.
On reading Franzen, one can tell he likes to experiment with words. He prefers obscure terms I never knew were in the English language. I didn't look most of them up because that would amount to work, but I did write them down to revisit later. It seems to me that some of the words Franzen uses are best applied in literary works like Freedom, because such words have little practical value beyond that. I don't think I could remember all of those words, even after having looked up a few in a dictionary.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Walking Dead Delivers
It's kind of tough for the horror genre to scare anymore. The best effect it can achieve these days is plain old grostesque. Even gore is getting to be old hat. Regardless of the limitations of a dated premise, AMC's The Walking Dead does a fine job of entertaining. The hour-long zombie drama is violent and messy and interesting to watch. That is quite a feat to pull off.
The show is shot in a 16 mm format, which I will call a brilliant creative decision. With everyone going digital, someone has the guts to buck trends and revisit a technique that still works. That's just smart, especially if you want the world to notice what you're doing. The zombies aren't much different than those seen in Thriller. The main difference is AMC's zombies don't dance way better than the average person.
Internet articles say ratings for The Walking Dead are unprecedented for AMC, so that bodes well for the short term. It remains to be seen though if the show's writers can keep the story arcs fresh and interesting. With a committment to only six initial episodes, it looks like AMC executives wonder the same thing. Mork and Mindy and Heroes serve as good lessons about stellar first seasons. Hopefully, The Walking Dead can demonstrate more staying power like Mad Men has. (What a phenomenon John Hamm et al have turn out to be.)
I have noticed that the writers have created a lot of characters to play with. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the supporting folks with lesser impact begin to get way more interesting. Someone may have an interesting secret. Someone may commit an incredible gaffe. If The Walking Dead is to survive for a while, that may have to happen. The sky is the limit. For now, I am a fan of the show despite its gore and violence. I sat through several seasons of ER (where the writers did horrible things to their characters), so I believe I can handle whatever AMC throws at me for six Sunday nights.
The show is shot in a 16 mm format, which I will call a brilliant creative decision. With everyone going digital, someone has the guts to buck trends and revisit a technique that still works. That's just smart, especially if you want the world to notice what you're doing. The zombies aren't much different than those seen in Thriller. The main difference is AMC's zombies don't dance way better than the average person.
Internet articles say ratings for The Walking Dead are unprecedented for AMC, so that bodes well for the short term. It remains to be seen though if the show's writers can keep the story arcs fresh and interesting. With a committment to only six initial episodes, it looks like AMC executives wonder the same thing. Mork and Mindy and Heroes serve as good lessons about stellar first seasons. Hopefully, The Walking Dead can demonstrate more staying power like Mad Men has. (What a phenomenon John Hamm et al have turn out to be.)
I have noticed that the writers have created a lot of characters to play with. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the supporting folks with lesser impact begin to get way more interesting. Someone may have an interesting secret. Someone may commit an incredible gaffe. If The Walking Dead is to survive for a while, that may have to happen. The sky is the limit. For now, I am a fan of the show despite its gore and violence. I sat through several seasons of ER (where the writers did horrible things to their characters), so I believe I can handle whatever AMC throws at me for six Sunday nights.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Halloween Debut for Cable TV Series
It's Halloween. This year I am intrigued by a new television series about zombies. The show is called Walking Dead. It appears on AMC. I want to see if AMC can do a zombie show that makes me care about the characters and their lives on a weekly basis. Yeah. We'll see. That is one tall order.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
War Dec On
Impersonations of U.S. Presidents.
I'm declaring war on comedians doing impersonations of U.S. presidents. They're a cheezy cliche and generally unentertaining. Unless the demands of a Saturday Night Live skit need to be met, I don't want to see anyone try to impersonate a president ever again.
I'm declaring war on comedians doing impersonations of U.S. presidents. They're a cheezy cliche and generally unentertaining. Unless the demands of a Saturday Night Live skit need to be met, I don't want to see anyone try to impersonate a president ever again.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Running Wilde on Fox
I enjoy watching Running Wilde, the Fox sitcom starring Will Arnett and Keri Russell. It feels fresh, and the humor is quite clever. Arnett and Russell have great chemistry, and the neighbor Fa'ad played by Peter Serafinowicz is a goofy ball of genius.
And, like with Mad Men, I like to check the #runningwilde hashtag on Twitter as the show is in progress to see what people are saying and reacting to. Twitter is so good for that. It adds to the experience of watching an event live as opposed to the following day on the Internet. All of the Running Wilde episodes are posted on the Internet the day after their first run, which is nice. This saves DVR space for all involved. Right?
Running Wilde favors Arrested Development, so it is not for everyone. You either appreciate the jokes or you throw your hands in the air and say, "I don't get it". There are other parellels like the casting of David Cross whom played Tobias on Arrested Development and now portrays Andy Weeks, the fiance to Russell's character, Emmy. Cross is pretty good as Andy, although his appearances are limited so far.
Plus there is the daughter to Emmy. Her name is Puddle. Puddle narrates the show, so everything is from her point of view. She seems to be the most grounded character, which is ironic considering that she is surrounded by adults.
Mr. Lunt the butler and Migo the chauffeur add to the zaniness. They serve as enablers to Arnett's character, Steven. They serve as splendid plot devices because without them, Steven couldn't get in as much trouble with Emmy, and the plotline would suffer. So, we have to have healthy doses of Mr. Lunt and Migo to keep the pot stirred every week.
Anyway, I really like Running Wilde. It has a cozy, nichey appeal to it free of pomp and pretense. It's charming.
And, like with Mad Men, I like to check the #runningwilde hashtag on Twitter as the show is in progress to see what people are saying and reacting to. Twitter is so good for that. It adds to the experience of watching an event live as opposed to the following day on the Internet. All of the Running Wilde episodes are posted on the Internet the day after their first run, which is nice. This saves DVR space for all involved. Right?
Running Wilde favors Arrested Development, so it is not for everyone. You either appreciate the jokes or you throw your hands in the air and say, "I don't get it". There are other parellels like the casting of David Cross whom played Tobias on Arrested Development and now portrays Andy Weeks, the fiance to Russell's character, Emmy. Cross is pretty good as Andy, although his appearances are limited so far.
Plus there is the daughter to Emmy. Her name is Puddle. Puddle narrates the show, so everything is from her point of view. She seems to be the most grounded character, which is ironic considering that she is surrounded by adults.
Mr. Lunt the butler and Migo the chauffeur add to the zaniness. They serve as enablers to Arnett's character, Steven. They serve as splendid plot devices because without them, Steven couldn't get in as much trouble with Emmy, and the plotline would suffer. So, we have to have healthy doses of Mr. Lunt and Migo to keep the pot stirred every week.
Anyway, I really like Running Wilde. It has a cozy, nichey appeal to it free of pomp and pretense. It's charming.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Team USA Does It at Worlds
Team USA got the job done in Turkey, running away with the FIBA World Championship. Kevin Durant practically carried the U.S. to victory, scoring at will against foreign defenders and coaches with no real inkling as to how to stop him.
It is great to see USA Basketball assert American dominance in the game as opposed to settling for a knowing wink and a nod regarding the fact that we could win. And winning Worlds wasn't so much about winning Worlds as it was maintaining the status America already owns as the premier power in the game of basketball.
While other countries dream of winning a FIBA World Championship and become giddy at the thought of coming close, I see an American victory at Worlds as an equivalent to rearranging furniture and tidying up a house in mild disarray. The FIBA World Championship is a pesky detail we as Americans haven't managed well in the past. We're starting to take it more seriously, having achieved reigning supremacy in every FIBA age bracket available. The United States holds all of the current golds in men's play. We should continue that kind of excellence for decades to come, at every level. I cannot foresee a day when that is not the case.
It is great to see USA Basketball assert American dominance in the game as opposed to settling for a knowing wink and a nod regarding the fact that we could win. And winning Worlds wasn't so much about winning Worlds as it was maintaining the status America already owns as the premier power in the game of basketball.
While other countries dream of winning a FIBA World Championship and become giddy at the thought of coming close, I see an American victory at Worlds as an equivalent to rearranging furniture and tidying up a house in mild disarray. The FIBA World Championship is a pesky detail we as Americans haven't managed well in the past. We're starting to take it more seriously, having achieved reigning supremacy in every FIBA age bracket available. The United States holds all of the current golds in men's play. We should continue that kind of excellence for decades to come, at every level. I cannot foresee a day when that is not the case.
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Return of Football
The networks are broadcasting preseason NFL games. Folks are talking about college rankings for the first time since January. Hey, we've reached the cusp of a new football season. I for one look forward to it. In the past, the football bug didn't hit me until mid-September, but it's mid-August and I'm looking forward to it earlier than usual.
I truly enjoy watching the sport. When I don't, it makes for good atmosphere just having a game on the television as I walk by.
We already have intrigue, too. What's great about this season is the unpredictabity. The landscape seems wide open. Anything can happen.
After what has become an annual soap opera, Brett Favre decided to play one more NFL season with the Minnesota Vikings. If I can see a game like last year's NFC Championship between Farve's Vikes and the New Orleans Saints, I have no problem with Favre returning to try it again. That game was so exciting. Let's hope for a deep playoff run for Brett Favre. It will make the NFL postseason a little more intersting I think. Plus, it will justify Favre's decision to come back. Heck, last season's success justifies it.
I truly enjoy watching the sport. When I don't, it makes for good atmosphere just having a game on the television as I walk by.
We already have intrigue, too. What's great about this season is the unpredictabity. The landscape seems wide open. Anything can happen.
After what has become an annual soap opera, Brett Favre decided to play one more NFL season with the Minnesota Vikings. If I can see a game like last year's NFC Championship between Farve's Vikes and the New Orleans Saints, I have no problem with Favre returning to try it again. That game was so exciting. Let's hope for a deep playoff run for Brett Favre. It will make the NFL postseason a little more intersting I think. Plus, it will justify Favre's decision to come back. Heck, last season's success justifies it.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Basketball Worlds Coming
July has come and gone. The most notable sporting event for this blogger was the Tour de France. In late August and early September, we have the FIBA World Championship. That should prove interesting.
Too bad it is scheduled during the start of NCAA football. Worlds should be under way now to avoid a conflict. Leave it to FIBA to be that out of touch. I am of the mind that Americans should run FIBA. After all, basketball is our game. Shouldn't we organize the world championship? I think so.
Too bad it is scheduled during the start of NCAA football. Worlds should be under way now to avoid a conflict. Leave it to FIBA to be that out of touch. I am of the mind that Americans should run FIBA. After all, basketball is our game. Shouldn't we organize the world championship? I think so.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
TdF: The General Classification is Decided
What an interesting Tour de France we've had this year. Barring something unprecedented, Alberto Contador will win. Contador solidified his hold on the maillot jaune by outpacing rival Andy Schleck in the final time trial before Paris. Things looked a little dicey for Contador after the first time check. Down eight seconds in general classification, Schleck gained six seconds back on the time trial's first leg. I thought Schleck would win the Tour after seeing that. Contador pressed on though. Schleck faded a bit, losing his gains and 31 seconds overall.
Still, it was an impressive improvement for Schleck. I strongly believe one day, perhaps next year, he will win the Tour de France. He is too strong of an overall rider to fail. Plus, at 24 years of age, he has plenty of rides left in him.
Still, it was an impressive improvement for Schleck. I strongly believe one day, perhaps next year, he will win the Tour de France. He is too strong of an overall rider to fail. Plus, at 24 years of age, he has plenty of rides left in him.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tour de France Stage 17
Today's stage went up the Col du Tourmalet a second time. Gapped by :08 to Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck needed to attack. He tried, but his effort wasn't enough. I for one was underwhelmed.
The atmosphere though was electric. It may have saved my viewing experience. There was mist and sheep., honking team cars and wild fans crowding the road. The race commentators said they had not seen an atmosphere quite like it before, and they have seen a lot of Tours. The stage finished on the Tourmalet, which enhanced the moment. However, I wished Andy Schleck had more in the tank to pressure Contador. The white jersey of Schleck never made a time gain on the maillot jaune. That would have made Stage 17 a whole lot more interesting I think.
The atmosphere though was electric. It may have saved my viewing experience. There was mist and sheep., honking team cars and wild fans crowding the road. The race commentators said they had not seen an atmosphere quite like it before, and they have seen a lot of Tours. The stage finished on the Tourmalet, which enhanced the moment. However, I wished Andy Schleck had more in the tank to pressure Contador. The white jersey of Schleck never made a time gain on the maillot jaune. That would have made Stage 17 a whole lot more interesting I think.
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