Category Archives: My $00.02

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Discovering Dr. Who – Part I

So I have to be honest, I’m a huge Pinterest nerd.  I love it.  It’s perfect for my instant gratification needs.  And, because I’m me, I often frequent the “Geek” boards.  Now, one thing troubled me about these boards—all of the Dr. Who references.  I didn’t understand a single one of them.  I had not one notion as to what a “Tardis” could be or why “Bad Wolf” is cool.  I pride myself on being pretty with it when it comes to most things “geek.”  True, I’m not a gamer, but … I digress.

My lack of Dr. Who knowledge concerned me because it is obvious he has quite a following.  Coupled with the fact he’s been around for decades, well, something had to be done.  Furthermore, one of my favorite shows, Community, frequently spoofs Dr. Who, and it bothered me that I didn’t get the jokes beyond what was on the surface.

So, I put out an SOS.  I needed any friends with Dr. Who access to help me.  As fate would have it, a coworker quickly came to my rescue and gave me the entire Dr. Who season starring Christopher Eccleston, who I’m to understand is the Ninth Doctor and proved instrumental in the Doctor’s 2005 revival.

Later that week, I put in the first DVD and watched the episode featuring mannequins come to life and introduced Dr. Who to Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper.

I won’t lie to you—I hated it.

I didn’t realize it would be so campy with such terrible special effects.  I wanted to quit after that first episode.  The second episode, where Rose got to witness the end of the world, wasn’t much better.  The third episode featured Charles Dickens, and I thought it was actually pretty cool.  In fact, it marked the moment that Dr. Who began to win me over.  But then the next two episodes were pretty bad again.  Finally, last night, I watched the episode where Rose goes back in time to save her father from dying, only to muddle up the time stream as a result.  Ironically, she has to watch him die all over again if humanity is to survive.  I found this episode touching and even felt my eyes tearing up on occasion.

By the conclusion of this particular episode, I realized something:  I cared about Dr. Who and Rose.  It sort of snuck up on me.  Overall, the show doesn’t seem to have much quality in terms of production value, and maybe that’s part of the charm.  But, Eccleston and Piper have real chemistry, and they make me root for these characters thrown into such ridiculous storylines with horrendous sets and costumes.

Well, they aren’t all ridiculous storylines, I guess.  I appreciate the grandeur for which they strive.  It seems as though Dr. Who’s greatest enemy is his show’s budget.  And there seems to be some serious social commentary and philosophical thinking embedded within most of the episodes, which I always can appreciate …

I’m going to finish this set my friend gave me.  I owe it to the geek within to gain some familiarity with Dr. Who.  I’m even starting to like it a little bit.

I’ll post an update when I finish this season …

Comments are more than welcome!  I understand Dr. Who fans are an impassioned bunch, so feel free to support him!

 

 

 

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My Thoughts On Disney Buying Star Wars

When I read earlier today that Disney bought LucasFilm (and all properties therein) my first reaction was utter astonishment.  For one, the price is a number that my brain literally cannot conceive.   Secondly, never, ever, in a million years did I ever think George Lucas would relinquish the rights to the universe he built from scratch.

As a 35 year-old man who worshipped Star Wars as a kid, my second reaction may surprise you – it was relief.  Quite honestly, the Star Wars film franchise needs a shake-up.  I think we can all agree that the prequels, Episodes I-III, had some very special moments, but by and large they lacked the charisma of the original three.  Part of me thinks this may simply be attributed to the fact that I watched the originals as a child, and, frankly, everything was awesome to me as a child, but then I see movies even today that still fill me with a sense of awe and wonder, and I know it’s not just me.  I think Lucas lost his heart for the material somewhere along the way before making the prequels and it became more of a technical exercise than a story-telling experience.

And, judging from the sale, I think Lucas realized that fact as well.

On Disney’s part, it’s a no-brainer.  I can tell you firsthand that teenagers and young children still love Star Wars, mostly thanks to the video games and the animated television show.  This is still a thriving property and if you had the cash you’d be crazy not to make that kind of investment.

As an older guy, though, I am quite honestly excited to see what Disney does with the franchise.  The fact that they have their act together enough to get Episode VII out by 2015 gives me the chills.  But, I guess it should be said that I have faith that Disney will make a great Star Wars film.  In my mind, and I realize I’m in the minority, Disney excels at making science fiction films.  I never saw the original Tron, but I thought Tron: Legacy was a visual feast and it delivered a story and characters I was actually very invested in.  Though I knew nothing about John Carter of Mars, the sheer scale of that movie and the willingness to make it a true science fiction/fantasy film impressed me to no end.  And, really, when Disney gets behind the right director with the right project you end up with The Avengers, a movie that is still breaking records and, more importantly, entertains relentlessly.

I’m no Joss Whedon disciple (I was actually pretty concerned about his take on The Avengers early on), but we know this guy can do science fiction space films, we know he can do snappy banter, we know he’s good at finding actors with chemistry, and we know he knows his material and makes the movies he wants to make.  Imagine Joss Whedon on a film like Episode VII?  He proved to Disney he can make them tons of money with a top tier franchise film – does it get any bigger than Star Wars?

I’m excited about Star Wars for the first time in a long time.  Had any other company bought the rights, I don’t think I would feel this way, but Lucas knew he was handing his children off to an excellent caretaker, and I know it, too.  I can’t wait to see the expansion of this universe where the ending has not already been predetermined.  I’m looking forward to seeing this universe treated with both the respect and financial backing it deserves.  I am electrified that Star Wars will go back to being about story and characters first, and technological spectacle second.

May the force be with you.  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

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Shout Out to Jude Landry

Every once in a while I like to give a shout out to Jude Landry.

Jude is an amazing artist.  He’s won all kinds of awards and when I needed an artist to design the cover to my book, Andropia, he immediately sprang to mind and he nailed it.  My basement is literally full of Jude’s artwork.  He does play posters, festival promotions, font design, illustration work, book covers, CD covers – he can literally do anything you need.

Lately, my wife and I have been trying like crazy to find art for our daughters’ playroom.  Kristen suddenly remembered seeing some children’s art posted by Jude and realized it would be a perfect fit.  We got in touch with Jude, and within a matter of days, the art was printed and mailed.

Jude is a fantastic artist, a conscientious vender, and a wonderful person.  I urge you to visit his website and I know you’ll find something you’d love in your own home.

Pay him a visit at:

http://judelandry.com/

I’ll post pictures of the children’s art he mailed us as soon as they arrive!

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My New Addictions

I’m a comic book guy.  Have been all my life.  Yes, my tastes have changed as I’ve gotten (much) older, but I still love the medium, the craft, and the sheer artistry involved.  When words and pictures come together to sequentially deliver a story – it’s stunning.

The problem is, I’m a little picky about what I buy.  Yes, I’ll pick up just about anything from the library, but, as would be expected, I’m a bit at the library’s mercy in terms of what’s available and when.

I’m more than willing to pay for those titles I truly love, but they’ve got to be awfully good to make it to my shelves.  Before my daughter was born, when my wife and I were DINKS (double-income, no kids), I’d buy a title on a lark.  Those days are over, though.  I’ve gotten much tighter with our money.

Consequently, for several years, I was elated with the titles I bought on a regular basis.  They were Y: The Last Man, 100 Bullets, Ex Machina, Promethea, and Sandman.  Unfortunately, those titles have all come to an end.  Before long, I was left with only DMZ and Fables.  Both excellent titles, but for a comic book addict like me, their trades did not come out often enough to keep me satisfied.

I took a few chances here and there.  The Unwritten utterly disappointed me, Greek Street didn’t hold my interest, and The Losers just wasn’t my thing.  Even Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century turned me off.

Oh, yes, I ran across several amazing graphic novels like Daytripper, Asterios Polyp, Blankets, Pride of Baghdad, and Mother, Come Home, but they were all one shots – not something I could collect month after month.

And then, after much searching, I finally came across three new titles (to me) for which I’m ready to commit both my time and my wallet.

The first is called American Vampire.  It’s a Vertigo title that features Skinner Sweet and Pearl.  Skinner is America’s first vampire, a breed apart from any others.  Though he is turned into a vampire in the 1800s, it’s in the 1920s that he creates another vampire from his blood, a young woman named Pearl.  What I love about the series is that its vampires are truly frightening, and that because these characters are immortal, their stories tend to jump around in time quite a bit.  Pearl and Skinner sometimes cross paths, and at other times are living out their own adventures.  Skinner seems to be a truly evil character, whereas Pearl fights against the darkness within her.  I’m not really a vampire guy, but this series quickly won me over after the first volume.  Smartly written by Scott Snyder with plenty of plot (and gore), it’s definitely worth following.

The second title is called Locke & Key.  It follows the story of the Lockes, three siblings (high school aged and younger) and their mother.  They move to the Locke family mansion after their father is murdered.  This is the house their father grew up in, and it is full of mystery, horror, and paranormal keys that impart special abilities, as they soon discover.  The artwork is beautiful, and the author, Joe Hill, layers plot upon plot, thus making each volume a rewarding read.  These are likable characters with a fascinating premise, and so I can’t wait to see this one through to the end.  Be warned, though, even though the artwork has a cartoonish flair to it, it gets pretty violent at times.  Definitely not for the faint of heart.

Finally, I’m collecting a title called Chew.  By far the strangest of my three new titles, this one is also the most enjoyable.  It is the story of Tony Chew, a detective who is largely successful because of a special ability he has.  Tony receives a psychic impression of anything he eats (except for beets, which is why he mostly only eats beets).  He relives anything’s last moments that he eats, which can prove pretty useful—and disgusting—when investigating a murder.  But this is not a one-note story.  I was amazed by all the interesting storylines that John Layman, the author, introduces, and can’t wait to see where he’s going.  Though there’s plenty of action, Chew is actually very funny and unlike anything I’ve ever read.  I love the offbeat, “anything is possible” vibe that it carries.

So there you have it.  After months and months of (literally) checking out differing titles these are the three (along with Fables and DMZ) that I’ve settled on.  I hope you’ll give them a look and enjoy them, too!

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Ring In the Past

Several months ago I realized I had no idea where to find my class ring.  (Now keep in mind I’m thirty-five.)  At first I didn’t understand why I felt so disappointed that I’d lost it.  Frankly, as an eighteen year old, I couldn’t wait to leave high school behind and everything that it entailed, including my class ring.  I honestly don’t remember once thinking about it between the ages of eighteen and thirty-three.

But then, after taking two years off from teaching to stay home with my newborn daughter, I returned to instructing high school English and noticed how excited the kids were when it came time to order class rings.  I’d always considered them kind of silly as a teacher and a way to fleece young people—a racket, in other words, and a worthless investment at that.

However, I soon found myself feeling nostalgic, and that’s when I realized I had no clue where to find my own class ring.  Of course, as we are wont to do, the minute we don’t have something we want it all the more.  But as I thought about it harder, I realized it wasn’t just my class ring I missed, but my whole sense of a past self.  I have a difficult time remembering things from my personal history, for some odd reason, and the older I become the more I forget about my youth.  I’ve actually had high school friends tell me stories I don’t recall at all.  It’s always bothered me that I don’t remember the old me very well, and when I realized I’d lost my class ring—the most potent physical manifestation of high school to exist—I sincerely felt that I’d let the “high school me” down yet again.

This story does have a happy ending, though.  This weekend (January 14, 2012), my wife, three year old, and I were digging through my closet looking for a toy I thought my little girl would enjoy.  I came across an old box on the top shelf and pulled it down.  Even as I saw all of my old high school track medals and ribbons, it never dawned on me to even hope I would find it, but there it was—my class ring.  I don’t think my wife and daughter had any idea why I was so excited, but for a guy who constantly feels disconnected to his own past, this was quite a victory.  The minute I picked it up I sensed an instant connection.

Looking back, I don’t know why I was in such a hurry to get out of high school.  Those memories I do have from my time as a Tiger are almost entirely happy ones.  I had great friends, a good education, and an ideal home life.  I think I was simply eager to get started on my future (I’ve always been a bit anxious).  Now that my future is here, now that I’m the man I want to be, now that I have an amazing life that I surely don’t deserve, I want to go back and tell my high school self to relax, to live in the moment, to pay closer attention to things, and to keep track of that class ring!

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Harry Potter VS. Harry Potter

So as you may know, I’m a high school English teacher.  I’m currently teaching an amazing class called Modern Fiction in which (mostly) seniors get to read novels of their own choosing throughout the semester.  It is a beautiful course because I get to witness firsthand young adults falling in love with reading again.

Interestingly enough, when I finally decided to read the Harry Potter series last spring, I noticed that most of my high school seniors had not read them.  This shocked me, because even five years ago virtually every student I talked with had read part—if not all—of the series if not all.

When I asked my seniors both last year and this year why they hadn’t read the books, they told me they’d seen the movies, they didn’t need to read the books.

Honestly, I really couldn’t get upset by that statement because I’m guilty of it myself in regards to Lord of the Rings.  I saw the movies before I tried to read the books, and I consequently couldn’t get into them.  I think it’s because I already knew the “big beats” and felt impatient to read other books.

Ironically, I finally decided to read the Harry Potter series out of respect to JK Rowling, for she influenced a generation of young people and contributed to their love of literature and I’ll always be thankful to her for that.  Now, though, it seems as though that influence has drifted away due to the movies, and while it’s too bad, it’s understandable.

What do you think?  While we all agree that the books are generally better than the film adaptations, does seeing the movie before reading the book lessen your likelihood to check out the source material?

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On Turning 35

So about five years ago I stupidly made a joke when I was about to turn 30 that my life was half over.  Not only was this extremely insensitive to anyone over 30, but it was also blatantly untrue.  Now here I am, less than a week away from 35, and I feel like life is just really getting started.  I’ve got a wonderful wife, a fantastic daughter, a job I love, and another beautiful little girl on the way.  I’ve never been happier or more fulfilled.  And to think, five years ago, I thought my best days were already behind me …

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RE: VERSE STRIKES AGAIN!

Dear Educators, Librarians, Writers, and Poets,

Downtown Bloomington’s TheatresCool is excited to again present RE: VERSE, a night of poetry reading and performance. All ages are welcome to attend this open mic event, and anyone fourteen or older is encouraged to perform an original poem or dramatic reading. We’d like to keep this a monthly event, so please help it continue!

This month’s RE: VERSE will be on December 8th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. It’s a free event, but $5 donations are greatly appreciated.

Know a poet who would love to take part? Forward this message to him or her! We are thankful for any help you can provide in facilitating the love of art. This rare venue is such a great opportunity for our artists, let’s not squander it!

Here’s a link to the location and its address:

http://www.theatrescool.com/
403 N. Main Street
Bloomington, IL

Questions? Feel free to get in touch and I’ll answer them.

Sincerely,
Scott William Foley

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November Is National Novel Writing Month

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Have you always wanted to write that novel but just couldn’t work up the gusto?  Well, no more excuses come November.  We’re celebrating National Novel Writing Month with the good people at NaNoWriMo!

The concept is simple: by the end of the month you need to have written at least 50,000 words.  Quality is not an issue; spelling and grammar are for later concerns; this is purely an exercise in letting your imagination loose.

At the following website:

http://www.nanowrimo.org

you can add your name to a list of participants and get your own little space.  There is a place for you to plug in your daily word count, and no, no one is actually checking that you’re being honest.  You can also find out about “write-ins” where other writers in your region are gathering to meet, write, and maybe even socialize a little.  NaNoWriMo offers many free graphics to decorate your various social networking sites with, and they also offer many fun items for purchase that helps fund several non-for-profit plights.

Many agree that the hardest part of writing a novel is sitting down and actually getting started.  This is just the sort of fun, care-free contest that can light a fire under people and get them tapping away at the old keyboard.  Do you feel that warmth on your rump?  You know that that means!

I’ve almost participated in National Novel Writing Month for several years, but never found the discipline to stick with it.  I’ve actually been working on a novel since before I found out about NaNoWriMo, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to crank the whole thing out.  Though I’m already 10,500 words into it, I’m going to subtract that amount of words to keep things fair.  After all, where’s the fun if you cheat?

I hope you’ll take part in this event to celebrate writing and pass the news along to your friends.  In just a few short hours, it’s off to the races!

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