Thursday, August 30, 2007

untitled


a storm

use of flash

use of flash with finger over it (hence the red hue)

looking forward to some time off
time away
"in the silence between two waves of the sea"

a world without microphones
telephones (flashing)
and audience feedback

summer is drying up
leaves are turning on a few traitorous trees
cicadas oscillate
high and hidden
their clarion call
fall
fall
fall




Sunday, August 26, 2007

The McMoon and I

Take a camera out at night to take pictures. Sounds ok, right? Maybe even cool.

Nothing happened to me when I did this recently, but without a doubt some neighbors were peering behind curtains to observe. I half expected a patrol car to come by and question me. I set about by preparing what I would say when C-Town's finest would roll up, a la Ray Bradbury's story style, with spotlight blinding, and surely a mechanical voice would flatly ask:

"Sir, what are you doing?"

"Following my bliss???!?"
We Americans are a funny lot. We are suspicious of odd behavior. Especially artistic behavior. I cannot count how many times I have been called crazy, weird, and a host of other names for what I consider to be absolutely normal behavior. Even simple, innocent things.

For example...
Go somewhere in public and read a book. (What a concept, yes?) Anywhere, of course, except those places which are safely designated for reading. You are alone in that activity and suspicious. Americans don't read very many books according to a new study. Only a small percentage even read ONE book a year. ONE friggin' book!!!!

I am not the bibliophiles my fellow bloggers are, but by God, I like to get absorbed in the page as much as I can.

When I know that boredom is coming, like getting the oil changed, I grab a book. I never ever never notice anyone else doing this perfectly normal activity but me. People will cram into the small Pennz Oil "waiting room" (or the room where you wait while they soften you up to hose you with highway robbery priced air filters, oil, etc.) and watch the TV like they've never seen one before. No matter what's on, they act absorbed or look around as if entertainment will be free while Valvoline is being added to the family car. Some, a small few, will read the sports section of the paper. None carry a lonesome book in to pass the time.
The doctor's office is great for catching up on badly missed reading time. Do I get glances? Oh yeah. It absolutely mystifies me that people will sit cattle car style in Dr. Milroy's office to wait for two to three hours without something to read! How? No answer.

Before you break out your barbs and say it, let me assure you I do not think myself special, an intellectual or in any way different from anybody. (I was once accused of being an intellectual, but my friend, after seeing me hammered a few times, has never brought forth this accusation again. Amen.)

So...grab a camera (and a friend) and let them watch from behind the curtains.

The McMoon will be there.

Have Thy Camera With Thee

"... in the colour of the evening sun"










Saturday, August 25, 2007

Age Improves Everything



When CR rolls into town, a few things are expected. First, and foremost, a good time is inevitable. Second, late hours are mandatory. And third, and most important, fine rums will be consumed.
(Factor in the CR Time Warp, i.e. 9:00 PM will mean at least a 30 to 45 minute variance in that agreed upon rendezvous time. God love him. That hasn't changed.)
Nay, not gluttonous consumption of the college student, nor the barbaric swilling for the sole purpose of inebriation. Nay, ye heathens. This is for those who take their time to truly enjoy things. Like fine rum, baby.
Well, I had a few Harpoon IPAs in the fridge.


"Wanna start with a beer?
"Yeah, sure."
"Well, we could start with a beer, then move to the rum."
"Or we could have both at the same time."

Hmm...we are off to a good start, yes? That's the spirit.
CR, after a drink of the beer, "They sure have a lot of hops in there!"

Yep. IPA has steroid level hops. It's a historical thing that involves the Brits transporting beer to India and them getting tired of the brew spoiling. Hence, the hopping up of hops. See kids, we learn while we drink? Could this be a useful history module? Core values anyone?

We don't imagine that we are boorish connoisseurs of fine wine; talking about length, bouquet and all that snobby stuff, but neither are we oblivious to the fine aging involved in making this surely one of the smoothest hard liquors you can enjoy.

Appleton 12, Cuban 10 and Bacardi 8 were sipped, savored and compared. Though I am more tempted than my friend to mix some fruit juice with it, CR reminded me that this is to be savored straight, save only a small amount of ice only to change the temperature.

CR, like me, (and the booze) has mellowed with age. We take our time with good things. And though my body aches from the simplest of tasks, I would not want to be a twenty-something again. The perspective I have gained (I would not dare call it wisdom) can only be gained by experience. I know I appreciate the simplest of things, the small kindnesses of people and the subtleties of every day living much more than the younger set.
Long ago, we were maniac roommates, burning away our spare time in a band and one rum was just about as good as another. We've been friends for decades.


I say, "Cheers" to my old friend. And thanks for the rum.
Especially while writing this post. : )

Monday, August 20, 2007

Yes, They Are!


Uncle Bill asked:
Aren't those things edible?

Sunday, August 12, 2007

untitled

a spontaneous trip to the mall.


this sunset reminded me of a design i did for the first radio show i did called Sunday Nights. i thought that the show needed a logo, something to spice up the web. i drew something similar to what you see. well...i was told, "This doesn't say music to me."


but it said radio, yes?

when living in rural Pennsylvania, i could catch WDVE out of Pittsburgh. that was one thing that hooked me. the mystery of something coming from afar-a distant signal reaching the eager ears of a young boy. a mystery i still believe in.


the other was that my father was an avid ham radio operator. this was way back before CB and the big craze in the 70's. he had his "station" in the basement and he built a small tower out in our front yard. i haven't been back to that house in decades, but i bet remnants of the concrete he poured still remain. these two influences completely explain why still believe in radio-at least radio that tries to create an atmosphere and convey content rather than generate trash between commercials.
the deal at the mall is this: Borders has a great selection, but prices that can crush your budget. it's shear price inflation without apology.


Best Buy offers much more reasonable prices on CDs and DVDs, but DVDs are higher. Amazon always has better deals.


Best Buy had a confusing stand that said, "Two DVDs for $15" on one side and then "$9.99 for your favorite movies" on the other. Hoping for the best, I took 28 Days Later and Borat to the counter, the acne cursed young man was polite and even took a walk to see the stand I was referring to, but in the end, the register said both were $9.99 each. Borat was the undisputed choice.

C. S Lewis came to mind:


"To me each evening looked far more
like the departure from a silent, but yet a crowded, shore...
leaving behind marooned mankind ."

Sunday, August 05, 2007

So Bad, It's (almost) Good

Here's a question everyone asks themselves:
Can a potted ginger root turn porn caliber actors into instant lesbians?

What, ye asketh, am I talking about? Maybe the worst ripoff of a classic ever.

We rent everything in the horror genre at the EclecTic household. Doesn't matter what it is. If there's even a slight chance that an axe murderer, serial killer, or any possible paranormal villain will reek havoc on the small screen, we DVD mad freaks will rent it cheerfully.

This one is really, really bad. So bad, as they say, it's good.

The premise: ripoff Invasion of the Body Snatchers
in the worst possible way.

Add "porn acting," a potted ginger root as the alien pod that makes women suddenly want to "date" other women, problems with sound, continuity and other minor disasters and you got this "movie." Example: clothes in one scene are miraculously different when a camera angle is changed. One scene begins in one location and ends in another. Characters come and go without introduction. It's like they threw all the scenes in a blender and hoped for the best.

Special effects: potted ginger root. Seriously, not kidding. Not even fake blood. Pod people emerge from plastic bags covered in Vaseline. Truly awful.

Watch the trailer here. Warning-there's a shot that's not suited for work nor little eyes.

Trailer of 1978 version. I truly like the original and this version. Leonard Nimoy as the psychiatrist cum guru is a true gem. What's up with the weird glove he wears?? Never could figure that one out.

No doubt that this was intended to catch any buzz from the new remake starring Nicole Kidman.

So...you have been warned. Enjoy at your own peril!

Good resource for other bad cinema. Includes both audio and film clips and stills.