After thinking about it for a little while, i decided to elaborate a bit on what I meant. There are certain types of people out there that can go for it. They set their eyes on something, and the run full steam towards that goal. Nothing distracts them, nothing deters them. I don’t mean that only those who fly off to Japan to live there, or those who will try and do something (build, write, draw, etc) new that could be badly received. I refer to any and every person that sets their goals and lives to them. These are the people everyone should aspire to be. These are the people that can set the bar on how to really live life.

Then there is the other group that merely lives through situations and makes the best of things. They see the world as something that happens, not something to make happen. These are your desk-jockeys. These are your lunch alone in a diner sort of people. These are the people that ride the bus every day and wonder why they got on it, and then forget that they wondered it.

I’m not going to advocate which is the better path, because I know good people who fall under both categories. What I will say is that the first group, those who work towards making things happen for themselves are the ones with the soundest character. They may be assholes, jerks, or whatever label you want to tack on them but it’s true. They know what they want and the go for it. There is something to respect in that, regardless of how much of a dick they may or may not be. That doesn’t mean that they all succeed. I’m sure 9/10 fall on their face and end up working at a gas station somewhere. The other 1 though, they have what I’m talking about (and took way too long to get to.)

Solidarity of character. They have what it takes to stick it out and achieve what they set out for themselves. To use Norm as an example; he wanted to live in Japan. I can trace this desire back at least 4 years as far as I have known him. He’s just always wanted to do it. As such he took the steps to get there. He figured out how to get a visa, and the ensuing fiasco of how the hell to stay in the country for 5 years in order to apply for permanent residency. He also learned the language, the mannerisms, and the culture back to front. He did this while going through school and working. He made it happen for himself, and now he’s over there learning about the 100+ trains he can take to get anywhere and visiting 10 story electronic stores. I also know he has what it takes to see this right to the end, and I’ve never been so proud to be his friend.

Personally, I cannot tell you which type of person I am nor if I possess said characteristic . I can say that I am working towards being part of the first group; to take charge of what I want and to work towards it. It’s hard. It’s fantastically, ridiculously hard though. Sometimes is easier to just throw your hands in the air and curse the fates for bestowing such problems upon their already weary shoulders. I know the feeling, because I have been there. I’m rather sure that I’m not the only one either. Whether you admit to it or not is a different matter entirely, and not the focus of this post.

What I’m getting at here is to get you, the reader, to think about this: “What sort of person am I?”

It’s rhetorical so don’t start emailing me with what you think I am. You can, but that’s not the point here.

What sort of person are you?

[EDIT November 12, 2007]

I just came across this article at work (I read this RSS feed, its both informative and entertaining.) Madam Naomi makes a rather good point that I wish to integrate with what I have already said here. Those who make things happen for them tend to be perceived as arrogent, cocky, or are otherwise jerks we don’t like. She makes the point that some people are actually arrogent, and some simply have the balls to stand up and fight for what they want.

The two get used somewhat interchangeably and I would like to point out that not everyone that fights for it is cocky. I call it ‘solidarity of character’ she calls it ‘having balls’ but both mean the type of person who stands up for what they want and fights for it. In retrospect, her way of saying it is way more ballsy. Damn it all!

Just thought I would clarify that one. Cocky people do suck, though they still make it happen for themselves so give props where it’s due.

[/EDIT November 12, 2007]

[EDIT 2 November 12, 2007]

Jesus christ! Did everyone have this same thought pattern around the same time or what? I mean wow, it’s almost sort of creepy, given that I hadn’t read either article when I had written mine. Crazy. I mean this one is a little different then what I’m talking about, but it all relates back to what I was saying. In this case Jarkko states that people in movies seem to live such fuller lives, and he states that it is because they never give up. They have a goal and they work unendingly towards it.

It all comes full circle here people.

[/EDIT 2 November 12, 2007]

Much of the movie revolves around the Vietnam War, and the protests that went on during the time. All the characters are pulled into differing sub-cultures and left to their own devices, and are let to play out their lives with what they’ve gotten themselves into. It demonstrates what people are capable of when they feel the need to work for something. It displays people in their best and worst moments without much in the ways of compromise, and shows that people aren’t perfect nor do situations always work out glowing. It does glaze over one or two areas that probably could have had more explaining, but you cannot realize this during the film and it probably isn’t worth dwelling over.

I was captivated throughout the movie, though I could say that some scenes could have been cut a tad shorter or removed simply to save time. There was little point to some scenes other then to demonstrate a characters inner feeling(s) at that moment. In some cases this is deep and truly moving, others it just seems like they needed something to help separate scenes. Having said that, Prudence probably could have been left out of the movie as she didm’t really do anything for it. She felt more like a song que and a side-kick throughout the film and hence a filler character.

The music is completely comprised of songs from The Beatles, but re-sung by the characters in the movie. It contained stunning visual effects and a solid flow. Some of the more… outlandish scenes were a little strenuous on the eyes, and let me tell you that on a digital projector those scenes tended to be both stunning and blinding. Don’t take that the wrong way, they were amazing and original, but wow. If thats what acid trips look like, count me out. As the movie progresses, the visual effects and ques become more obvious to the watcher, and helps integrate the viewer into the characters lives. Helping them to see what the characters see. Mr. Kite’s musical scene was … amazing, terrifying and utterly mind-shattering all at once.

If you enjoy musicals, this is a complete must-see. If you don’t like musicals, screw it and watch it anyways. It’s a well directed film with impressive direction and plays out smoothly. It’s a simple movie about love and what people are willing to go through for it, and the hopeless romantic in me glowed from watching it.

Oh, and I will be picking up the soundtrack for this as soon as humanly possible.

8.3/10

I digress.

An Unfinished Life features Morgan Freeman as a maimed black cowboy, Jennifer Lopez as a woman in an abusive relationship, Robert Redford as Jennifer Lopez’s child’s hyper-bitter grandfather, and Josh Lucas as the local deputy.

The premise of the movie is as follows: Lopez is in an abusive relationship, and after yet another attack, her daughter convinces her mom that it’s time to go. They take off to the only place Lopez can think of: Her daughter’s dead dad’s dads place. This isn’t the first place I would think to go when trying to escape domestic abuse, but whatever. Lopez and gramps don’t get along, but they try for the sake of the (grand)daughter. There is bonding and realizations met, confrontations and animal rescue, and old cowboys. Oh and some guy gets a coffee glass to the face for being a dick.

The over-running theme to the movie was not the abuse as one would think, what with Lopez staring in that role. It actually centres around the Grandfather trying to get over himself, and bond with the family he has; mainly his grand-daughter (played very well by Becca Gardner).

What shocked me about this movie was how toned-down it was. Maybe I was just coming off an over-reaction high, but the movie stayed fairly believable throughout. The abuse-topic was low-key and believable (and as a result, Lopez and Lucas feel like minor characters), and the grandfather/granddaughter connection theme wasn’t overstated. Ironically the abuse topic tends to be more of a plot device to demonstrate that there are bigger things to hate in the world then your ex-daughter-in-law. Morgan Freeman played his usual role of wise black guy, and his sub-plot was also used as a bit of a plot device in the gramps/kid line.

What made the movie worth watching to me was the climax, if you wanted to call it that. I won’t give away what it actually was, but I will state that much like he rest of the movie it was very toned-down. I was expecting some big scene where everyone’s yelling and the camera’s all blurry, but that isn’t what happened. It lasted all of two minutes and left me moved on a deep level. It was stunning in its brutality and simplicity. It ended much like many scenes like that would actually play out. What I mean is … have you ever been in a situation and imagined the ending? It’s insane, contains ninjas, and enough explosions to ruin the atmosphere. When it comes to that situations resolution it’s very small, but still effects you on some base level.

That’s how this movie ended for me. It was a slow movie, but I managed to stay awake and interested, and it ran from 3-5 am. That’s gotta say something for the movie. It was believable (for the most part) and the ending was simple and honest. That’s why I really liked it. Plot devices aside (and this movie has a bunch, 9 at my last count) it has some honest and powerful scenes if you’re willing to actually watch the movie from beginning to end.

7/10

I have however been busy with life, being lazy with updating this, and other lame excuses that I cannot fathom at the moment.

I’m not going to bother with all that because quite honestly I was just lazy and had no drive to update this site. No real reason, but I’m back to take another stab at it.

The reason for this is two fold:

1. Theresa (who I am still with thankfully) is back in school, so I once again have too much time on my hands.
2. I’ve been feeling somewhat depressed lately, and though I wont get into specific reasons as to why, I am wondering if doing this blog will help me with/through it.

Worry not faithful readers (all zero of you), I’m not suicidal or emo or any of that kief, I am simply feeling a little down.

I may as well get back into the swing of things with what I have been doing for the past… lets say… week. Yes, a week sounds good.

Alright, so I recently finished watching House: Season Three which was, as usual, amazing. I love that show dearly and I am overly sure that I will own all the box sets as they come out. On the up side I have finally caught up to the current running season, so I can actually have a reason to watch TV again. Granted it’s only for an hour every Sunday but whatever.

I recently picked up the new DS: Special edition that comes with Brain Age 2. It cost me a little bit, but I’m glad I finally have one and when I get the extra scratch I’m going to get my hands on the Opera Browser and possibly some home brewed programs like the WiFi Phone app I’ve been linked to. I don’t know where the link is at the moment, but if I find it, I’ll post it. I’ve wanted a DS for a while, and a special edition was just the excuse happenstance I needed to make the purchase.

I also recently crash-coursed my friend in both Venture Brothers: Season 2 and Clone High. He’s a big guy, so it’s funny to see him rendered helpless as he struggles for breath between fits of laughter. Sure he tries to kill me after, but it’s always so worth it.

Second lastly, I got a job Friday and Saturday nights working at The Revolution night club doing I don’t know what yet. My friend Danny pointed out that I am “fucking crazy” for doing so, and he’s probably not that wrong. I hate the place and the music, but it’s a guaranteed job, and I wanna pay of my car. Shrug, who knows what interesting stories may come from it all. More on this as it develops.

Lastly, I’m swinging in and out of writing, so we’ll see what develops with that.

Like romantic roadkill,
M heart is all splattered.
And your ego got fatter,
And I hope that you’re flattered.

You broke this down.

The best thing that you never had.

Butch Walker – Best Thing that You Never Had.